Mind Games
by Vallyfullofemotions
Summary: When you have nothing to run for, and your life is meaningless, why run? Becasue taht little voice inside your head told you to.   Yu gi oh characters go to the creator of yu gi oh and it's owners, i own my OC's.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one:**

**The Game Begins**

Her heart beat faster then she could even begin a breath, a thought. All that processed, was that she was to run. And _fast_. Her life depended on it;

And so she ran for all her life was worth. Which to anyone else who didn't know her, might have thought it to have been a whole lot to run for, but she'd argue against that: Her's wasn't worth much. She'd never really done anything, never really completed anything, and really, _was_ nothing. But that didn't hurt her, no, not at all, she knew her place well enough not to care about what others thought or said, and mostly not care about others at all. She'd ignored everyone, and they'd ignored her.

That was, until tonight.

She could hear their heavy footsteps, trotting just behind hers, anxious and lusted after the one thing running, the prey. The men were laughing, wheezing, yelling. _Taunting. _She was the object of choice, object of target. She was their target to kill.

But why, you ask?

The one time this question would be easy, she was a nobody, so no one would notice her gone, no one would notice her 'missing'. Not even the so called guardian she had.

And with her parents who just up and left, why should she care? She was just a burden, like a dog you forgot to bring in or feed, and would only be reminded with a phone call from school that they were there. And then her guardian would try to 'talk' to her. Why did she beat that kid? Why was she like this? Why would you cut your teacher with the scissors?

Why?Why? _ Why? _That was all she was ever asked, and when she would give 'sassy' and 'disrespectful' answers or not answer at all, she'd be sent away.

But this, this was something entirely different.

She had first started out to run away, while stealing only some of her belongings, she didn't have time for money, have time for a note, or a goodbye, she just had to leave. It was her time, she felt it inside her bones, inside her non existent heart.

She _had_ to leave.

And then, they came. The brothers, uncles, friends, and father of the kid she beat in school. The cocky little punk deserved it, she thought over and over and over. Just like the teacher, just like all the people she's ever hurt. They _deserved_ it. Asked and pleaded for it, with their eyes, their actions, but if it wasn't from their words, it was considered wrong. A crime, a heinous act of malicious anger. Merciless, evil, _justified anger._

But when asked the only thing they ever did ask, she'd answer truthfully one time. With the same explanation she told herself.

And when asked one more time, how _and why_ they deserved it, she gave up. She didn't know _why_, if anything, _they_ should know why. Because they did this to themselves. They asked for this.

One day, she was told she wasn't the justified person to bring these people who 'deserved' this pain and hurt. She didn't believe that one bit, she knew she wasn't. They asked her though, and she blamed them.

Her guardian had tried shrinks, therapists, doctors, everything in the book. But no one could get her talking, no one could muster up an answer other then she was insane. A danger. A hazard.

Maybe she was.

But that kid, the kid she wanted to see blood pouring from, wanted at her feet, begging for mercy...That kid had been the last straw with everyone.

And she'd just gone and done her best.

With his blood she spelled 'out law' in the cement, as he whimpered and cried. She spoke dry words:

"Even the most brave and strongest of men fall, everyone feels pain." She said to him, and as his lips quivered in fear, as he mustered up the word she hated the most, and he spoke it in pain:

"Why?"

She lost it.

And after the aftermath of her horror, she fled, the all hate army behind her.

She didn't dare ask herself the same question everyone had been asking her this whole time, but she couldn't help but wonder.

_Why?_

She stumbled through the dark forest, running with each drop of hate for that word in her body.

And pretty soon, she ran across a run down building, or what looked like a down science lab.

She ran into and through it, stopping inside a dark room with a door with many locks at the other end, and found a cash register. Her hands were swift with shuffling out the money into her bag, and the voices weren't so hard to hear anymore, the yelling, the shouting.

She was thankful that this was a run down lab, otherwise, they'd have woken all the employes up by now. Or so she thought.

"Play time." Some dark voice appeared from shadows, and a cackle, a chuckle, no, an evil laughter broke out, a growl and dark figure pouncing towards her. Had thieves come with animals? She didn't have time to think, and went to instinct.

She quickly ran out of the building , running to the woods again. Whatever was running after her, chasing her, was fast, but somehow, despite how clumsy she was outside of running for her life, now she had the agility, the balance, and timing of an acrobat. She jumped into trees, twirling and swinging for life, and by some dim light she caught a glimpse of what was chasing her.

A demon.

She didn't let herself be stupid and gape, she kept on the move, and dodge the demons final pounce to lunge at her. As the demon went down into a field of over grown flowers and weeds, bushes and thorn pickers, she went up into more woods. She heard the demon growl and fight it's way out, and knew she had to get away quickly. She went further up into what looked like her old town.

Sighing, she ran towards the city lights, hearing the demons growl and paws hit the ground in pursuit.

Prey once again.

Into the city, she lunged herself, right into the crowd of towns people after her. She heard the demon stop at the edge of the woods, and knew it'd be waiting for her, its silent growl only known to her ears. But it all was washed out soon as the towns people started shouting at her.

They all glared down, throwing hard kicks, punches, making her cough up blood, breaking skin and bones.

They took her bag, full of nothing much but the cash she took from the freak show, and left her there on the outskirts of the woods to die.

She heard the demons paws approach her, along with a pair of boots. Her head dizzy, she forced her eyes to look up, and someone hold on to what little life she had left.

There was a man with white hair,a red jacket with gold stripe near the bottom and dark blue jeans and black boots. He wore no shirt, and had tan skin, with gray eyes. He 'tsked' at her, and looked to his pet, what looked like a mutation of a man and a demon. She groaned, and the man spoke up.

"You've caused too much trouble for me to just let you go, and now they have the money you took...What do you think Melvin?" He turned to the demon, who looked up from his sitting pose near her head and shrugged.

"Right, well. All's well that ends well." She gave up as his words were mustered, holding on wasn't worth it anymore, and she fell to blackness willingly.

_She_ asked for this.

_Why?_

She awoke in a room that seemed dark, Gothic. Everything was black

Hadn't she died?

She quickly sprang up, knowing everything was out of place and feeling eyes one her. Defense/offense mode.

"Hold still, the bandages..." A teenage boy with white slightly long hair said, reaching out the her feral body.

"Don't touch me." She hissed, and someone came in. The same man from last night looked at the boy, and then to her, not amused. Bored even. He sighed, going to her other side, and speaking.

"Lay down. He's got to patch you up. Since the towns people nearly killed you." His words had acid in them, annoyance, but she didn't listen.

"Why didn't you just let me die?" She yelled at him, her voice horse and aching, but she ignored it.

"You really don't have a threat or authority here, lay down." The man responded, placing hands on her weak and bruised body, pushing her back down, restraining her. Her body whined in pain, and her face scrunched up.

The boy hurriedly put bandages over her newly bleeding wounds, and bit his lip in concentration.

"Here, take this." The boy handed her two small blue and yellow pills, and she gave him a spiteful look, filled with just as much anger as she could muster up in pain.

"No." The man in the red jacket huffed, and put his hand out for the boy's, who quickly put the pills in his hand.

"Bakura! I'm going to need help in here!" He called out to someone, and a man in a black trench coat, pants and boots came in, observing the situation. He had the same shirt the boy had, a blue and white striped one, but looked older then the boy, but like an older version of him.

"Hold her." The man commanded the one called Bakura. He nodded, and once the man in the red jacket. removed his hands, Bakura's placed them. The man in the red jacket forcefully opened her mouth, shoving the pills in and immediately putting a tube down her throat.

Water flooded in her mouth, along with the pills, and forced her to swallow. After she did, he removed the tube, he looked down at her.

"What's your name?" His voice was dry, and bored, but angry.

"No." She said, matching his tone.

"Bakura, take her to my office. She'll be alright in the head, right?" He looked to the boy, who nodded.

"From the looks, they didn't damage her brain."

"Good." He went out the tent, the man called Bakura dragging her behind him and following the man in red.

He tied her up in a chair, her arms crossed and behind her back, her ankles tied to the legs of the chair that was nailed to the floor. He stood behind the chair, and the man in red looked down at her.

"Leave us." Bakura left, and the man in red circled around her.

"What's your name?" He tried again, and she laughed once, sneering. He came in front of her, and grabbed a handful of her brown hair, forcing her head up.

"Answer me." She laughed once again, and he pulled her hair, throwing her head backwards.

"Nothing you can do to me will ever match up to the pains I've had." She answered, and this time, it was his turn to laugh.

"I can do much worse." He circled her again, looking her up and down.

"Go ahead and try." She shrugged, and watched him watch her. She kept an indifferent face, but on the inside, she wasn't sure what would happen.

"What were you doing here last night?"

"Didn't you see me? Running for my life." She snorted, but told him what was true to the eye. He looked at her sideways, his hand rubbing his bare chin.

"Why?" She bust out in laughter, like a mad woman.

"I hate that word."

"_Why?_"He pressed, and she lowered her eyelids to slits.

"Because I've been asked that my whole life."

"Why were you running?"

"Because I killed a kid." She rolled her eyes. He wasn't dead, but he didn't know that.

"No, he's still very much alive." He said, indifferent. She scowled.

"Why did you let me live?" She tried, her turn for a question, and he snorted.

"You took my money."

"Then why not just let me die?"

"I'm in charge here, I ask the questions. No turns. You escaped Melvin...How?"

"Running for your life will do magic." She laughed, and he rolled his eyes.

"You ran like you had something to live for."

"Maybe I do." Her spiteful answers brought a smile to his face, but he had to keep a straight face with her rash and similar behavior to some female he knew long ago. Yes, she acted just like her, rash, irrational, and childish.

"And what would that be? A little no one in a town full of people who'd have plenty to live for, and out of all of them, you run like you have something to run for. A dream? A wish?" He hated to sound so peppy, but this was one of his last chances at cracking her, other then turning himself around to spin her head. He would love to mess with her mind right now, but he had a show soon;

He didn't want to waste the fun he felt interrogating her. He needed another source of entertainment before he grew bored of this one. But no one knew this about him, and he thought it to himself.

She looked at him with a hateful look, and shrugged, playing it off.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He sighed, looking to his desk for the time.

Almost time.

He walked around her once more, and saw an open option to taunt her, stepping out side, he put it in play.

"Bakura, when Melvin's ready, bring her out." He said to no one and left it at that.

She panicked, he couldn't put her in that danger...He couldn't! The boy...He had said not to move too much, the bandages...She wouldn't be able to run from the demon again. She could barely move enough as it was.

And he knew this. That was his plan. He was going to end her life for her. Tonight. She took a breath, and tried to think this through. He was just messing with her...Wasn't he?

She quickly struggled with the ropes, somehow managing to get her arms free, but finding the ropes and ties impossible around her ankles. She looked to the desk, searching for something, anything.

On the desk, there was a pencil sharpener, a few pens and pencils, a letter opener, and lots of drawers holding who knew what.

She reached for the letter opener, but the bastard had nailed the chair to the floor, and her fingers just barely grasped the letter opener. She got a hold of it, slightly cutting her fingertips, and tried at the ropes.

They were too thick. She sighed, and then thought of the sharpener, grabbing it and unscrewing the blade with the letter opener and cutting through the ropes.

Where could she run? He might have this whole place under surveillance. She panicked, and went out the back of the trailer, seeing no one around in this dark of a night, she bolted.

She ran quicker then quick could even be counted as, faster then a humming bird could fly. Or at least, she felt that way. She was getting closer to the edge of it all, that was until she saw someone there.

"I thought you'd try to run." He said, arms folded and coming out of the shadows.

The one called Bakura. He looked at her with brown eyes, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

"I just want to leave..."

"Leave? You can't leave. No one can."

"But he's going to kill me..." She expressed, and he laughed.

"Right. I hardly believe that, considering he hasn't killed you yet. I don't know what he has planned for you, but if it was death, he'd of killed you by now. He would've blown the experiments he's to watch over and torture you." He said, his eyes annoyed and angry. Her face scrunched up in a distressed form, and she looked around her, running back to where she was, but took a turn to another end.

A growl came from the shadows, and the demon stepped forward, black wings that were like that of a bat's, but the demon featured looks of a gargoyle. It barred it's teeth, and backed her out of that exit as she turned to run, but fell and landed on her ankle, hearing it snap like a twig.

"Oh, just great...Melvin, go get Ryo." The man called Bakura came to her, as she tried to crawl away, and he shook his head, speaking again as the demon pounced off and up into the sky.

"He's not going to be happy about this...He's going to kill me...You just had to run, didn't you?" He bent down next to her, bending his knees. She bit her tongue, glaring at him.

"Don't give me that look. You're the one who took the money..." He spat, and she heard foot steps come closer, and Bakura looked behind him.

"What happened?" The man in the red jacket asked, annoyed.

"She escaped, and I caught her, she tried to run again, but then Melvin caught her, so she tried to run and snapped her weak ankle." Bakura responded.

"Shit. How did you escape?" He looked down at her, and she smirked as he glared, standing over her.

"Wouldn't you just love to know?"

"That's it. Take her to MY office." He commanded, and turned away.

"I'd prepare yourself for the world of pain you're going to face when I get back." He looked over his shoulder to her, adding the comment as she was dragged back to another building. The same boy from before came, an indifferent look as he wound her ankle in gauze.

"You shouldn't have run away..."He said, finishing up his work.

"And why's that? Because I have nothing to run for?" She laughed at him, and he shook his head, getting up.

"Don't assume so." With that, he turned and left. She scuffed to herself, mumbling how they were all crazy, lunatics.

Not too long after that, the man in the red jacket came, angrily slamming the door after he reached the inside of the office.

"You're an idiot." He started off, and she sighed. Nothing she hadn't heard before. Just like all the lectures she had before, all the time's she was asked:

_Why?_

He glared at her, almost projecting anger into her.

"Well, let's hear it." She rolled her eyes and relaxed a bit, trying to play it cool, ignoring the extreme pain her ankle was experiencing. Not to mention her body ached like it was about to just deflate. All this, she ignored, and kept her uncaring face.

"Oh, you're going to hear it, fell it, experience it. You're going to wish you were dead. First, you take my money, second, YOU TRY TO RUN AWAY WHEN I WASN'T GOING TO KILL YOU? ARE YOU INSANE? AND EVEN THEN, YOU GO AND JUST BREAK YOUR ANKLE AGAIN! NOW YOU'RE ON THE VERGE OF JUST KILLING YOURSELF! YOU'RE PATHETIC, YOU'RE USELESS, YOU'RE AN IDIOT, YOU'RE JUST A PLAIN DUMBASS!" He yelled at her, and she shrugged.

"And if I am? Then what?" She challenged, making the man in red nearly spit out fire with his foul vulgar words, steam pouring out of his ears and nose, acid out of his mouth, and daggers out of his eyes. She huffed through it all, she had heard it all before, many a times. And when he was all vented out, settled down, he paced and spoke quietly.

He wasn't finished, this time, he just got serious.

"What's your name?"

"Something you don't need to know."

"Tell me." He said, grabbing something on a table.

"No." He turned around, a knife at her throat.

"I SAID TELL ME." She breathed, and raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead and end the game here then, take away my meaningless life. DO IT. KILL ME!" She screamed at him and he put his face close to hers, eye level and staring into her eyes intensely, angry, annoyed. He couldn't end it, they both knew it, something about this female was different then the others he'd run into, the others that failed to pull through, the others that had died along the way didn't have to spark she did.

He had found a diamond in rubbish.

She glared back, and he laughed, throwing his head back and grabbing a handful of her brown hair.

"Tell me your name." He said, knife in one hand, her hair being tugged in his other.

"Why?" She pat that hated word, and he smirked.

"It needs to be said, I need to know it. Just go ahead and tell me your name."

"It's a name I was given, not a name I chose."

"No one creates their own their name. So say it. Tell me." He said, loving this thrill, this spark and energy he got playing with her. She challenged right back with every threat, she was almost the same as the one before, except the last encounter with the female, didn't last. She didn't have this spark. She didn't burn back, she broke quick. This female didn't give in. This one fought, and fought hard, but for what?

Something he'd find out later in the game.

"No." He laughed, angry, but enjoying this.

"Fine." He let go of her hair and removed the knife, walking out.

She huffed, and rolled her eyes. He'd be back, she could see it. He enjoyed this game, he wouldn't just quit. Unless he was the master of self control. How many people had lasted this long? She say it in his eyes, this was somewhere not many had gotten, but it looked as if even fewer had made it past here. Breaking people, hurting people. She needed to be one of the ones who made it through, but what was he going to do? She didn't want to think about it, considering the look in his eyes left him capable of really anything.

She breathed, and cleared her head. What ever he was going to do, she could deal with. She could pull through, no matter what was next, something told her she could, not just that she could, but something called for her, so near.

She would make it.

He walked with that crazy walk, that everyone knew meant he was fulfilled. No one would stop him, this was what made their corporation, what made them. They'd all been knew he was under some sense of control half the time.

Bakura stopped him on his way to the lab, knowing this crazy eyed look all to well.

"Stop. Hold up. She's giving you game, isn't she?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, twirling his words like sugar coated candy. He was in a bubbly mood, his game was being played, and played just the way he liked it, this mind game. She twisted his mind just as much as he twisted hers.

"Don't tell me you picked her just because the fact she-"

"No, she took my money."

"If anyone else took your money they'd be dead. What's the difference?"

"In the beginning, she was a test. But now..." He laughed, and Bakura pulled back a bit. He surely was crazy, he'd possibly gone mad.

"Now what?"

"She's playing the game."

"That's why?"

"Won't you ever believe in my choices?"

"And when the game ends?" Bakura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have a feeling...This game won't..." He laughed, and continued on.

_**A/N: So, decided to start this story after a bit of inspiration, couldn't go with the idea I got from some of that inspiration, due to problems with the creator (sort of). It's fine, I like this one better actually. Maybe because this one is actually me...You know? Like, my style of writing.**_

_**The girl goes nameless, but I think you can tell the other four. Ryo, Bakura, Akefia, and Melvin. But where's Marik? 0.o ….oops... He'll be in soon folks! ':D**_

_**I do not own the yu-gi-oh characters (who I must admire the creator for, they are so fun to write with and put in the most random situations) belong to whomever owns yu-gi-oh. I own the OC, and more that which I cannot mention currently. ^^**_

_**don't forget to please, please, please, PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! R&R PLEASE!**_

_**Ah, whatever, you don't have to.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Play Time?**

She awoke in the same chair she was in from his lecture. He was playing with her, she couldn't be broken now, even though her stomach ached for food and bruise reasons, she had to hold on tight. Being broken meant giving up on life, giving up on that feeling she had to live.

With nothing to live for, how do you keep on living?

When some small voice rings in your head that you have to, that's how.

She sat there, and looked around the room. A regular office, but she could tell something bigger was going on. Something she'd live to find out.

The door opened calmly, and the same man from yesterday came in. He strolled in, looking bored, but smiled in a sweet way when he met her eyes.

"Good morning. Ready to tell me your name?"

"Nope." She huffed, and he raised an eyebrow.

"You're sure?" He said, coming close to her, breathing into her face.

"Yup."

"Alright then..." He turned to the desk, and grabbed something, studying it in the light, and finally turning back to her. She kept her silence, and he dropped his smile, bored again.

"You know, I've been waiting to play this game some more, but I need new material, this is getting...dull." He said, almost to himself. Rolling her eyes, she kept her silence. Survival, that's what counted, she reminded her self as he smiled, bringing out the same knife from before. He ran it down the side of her face, and stopped on her shoulder, gently running the cold blade to the side of her neck.

"Tell me your name." He tried again and she sighed.

"No."

"Why not?" He played, and she looked away from him, around the room. He took a handful of hair, and thrust her to her knees on the ground, kneeling before him, letting go of her hair gently, and circling around her.

"What's the importance of a name?" She sighed, he wasn't energized enough for this to be fun. But survival was kicked in, 'stay alive' it repeated in her head. She had to make it longer then the others, had to pull through his mind games.

"Everything, it gives a little side show to who you are before there's actually conversation to see who they are."

"But you've gotten plenty a look into who I am, haven't you?" She toyed back, and he smirked.

"Just tell me your name."

"And then after the name, it's why? And then, when? How? Who? What? Where?" She said, and he smirked even wider, laughing manically. She smiled right back through slits for eyes, the spark running through both of them.

He let go of her hair, and grabbed her arm, yanking her to stand under his gaze. His six foot four height against her five foot five. His black gloved hands against her ripped and tattered black cloth shirt. She glared up at him with fire lit eyes of smoldering pure magenta eyes. He laughed, almost exactly like her...But so different in the same...

He pushed it off and focused.

"Tell me your name..." He said, his eyes pouring into hers with an imploring charm. Her head spun a bit, but she maintained her stance, shocking him.

The man with the red jacket took off his gloves, and got down to work, forcing her to sit back down. He danced around her in a way that made him seem almost ecstatic. The good look in the eyes worked on the last one like her, but something in her was keeping her going. He laughed at the thought, and looked her up and down, measuring her strengths and weaknesses. She was weak, but her heart, soul and mind were strong. And before, She'd of stumbled out of Melvin's reach with luck, she was the perfect subject.

But the game must be played.

She said nothing as the man studied her, and then he started the serious interrogation. He Took the knife between his fingers, and gently ran it down to under her chin, smiling in her eyes as the cold metal blade stroked her skin in a poisonous embrace.

"Now, what's your name?"

"You're addicted...You can't end it...You know you can't...You love the thrill, the rush...You love it, addicted to it...Go ahead and try to end it..."She coaxed him, and he laughed, his smile tighter now.

"YOUR NAME."

"Do it..."

"Give me your name..."

"Kill me...You know you want to, because I DESERVE IT. YOU WANT TO SHOW ME JUSTICE. I know that feeling...I've been in your position...You love to hurt, watch them be torn apart...But I love the blood, and you love seeing them torn apart from the inside...Don't you?" Her tongue darted out words like his, and he huffed, tired of her speaking, making this game boring now.

With a swift move the knife was a flash of silver and light on her shoulder, leaving a trail of blood to pour down her arm. Her eyes widened, and his face grew dark with satisfaction.

"Your name?"

"Your game's hard to play, isn't it?"

"Give me your name!"

"You have so much fun with them, the players, you twist them, their minds, but sometimes..."

"YOUR NAME!" He screamed, but she kept talking, blabbering for her life.

"Sometimes you get carried away...Sometimes they die...Don't they?"

"STOP TALKING AND GIVE ME YOUR NAME!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, shaking his whole body, making her laugh in delight.

She was twisting him right back.

"That's enough...GIVE ME YOUR NAME." His voice was dead serious, no matter his love of the game, he had to get answers. Even if that meant ruining the game.

She heard such in his voice, and at last, decided to release her name. What damage could a name do? She took in a breath, and breathed the ever so sought after word:

"Tamara." She looked at him straight in the eye, and he smiled, removing the knife.

"Tamara..."He let the name be released from his lips, and smiled, circling around her.

"What's your name? If you plan on keeping me here...Or killing me. Either way." She shrugged, and he laughed.

"You're quite the opponent. You're...Fun." His voice was like spice, his tongue spinning the words to taste like candy.

Sugar coated poison candy.

She sighed, and felt as if she had broken...But in a way, she hadn't. She was still holding strong.

"Tamara..."He breathed again, amused. He laughed and she rolled her eyes, bored.

"Boss?" Someone knocked on the door and came in, a boy with slightly lighter skin then the man in the red jacket's, blond hair, and wore khakis and a purple shirt.

"Yes?" The man in the red jacket asked, a smile on his face, looking devious with his dark charm.

"Bakura...Ryou, Melvin and I would like to have a meeting now..." The teenager looked to Tamara, and quickly looked away once they met eyes.

"In a minute Marik."

"But Akefia..."

"Akefia?" Tamara turned to Akefia, a smirk on her face.

"Marik, leave us." Akefia ordered, and turned to Tamara, a smirk on his face now.

"Now that names are known, we can get down to the serious stuff...What's your story?"

"You don't need to know my story..."

"But I do, don't I?"

"Haven't you learned enough already? Seeing as I haven't much to run for, maybe I really don't have a story to tell. I lived, and I'll die. The end." She said, shrugging. Something inside Akefia made this sentence hard to except. Was it the fact she resembled the last, no, no, it couldn't be. Something inside him wanted him to lash out at her, tell her that was a lie, she had something inside her that was special, she just ignored it.

Because she hadn't lived.

"You haven't lived, Tamara. Your life, yes, you were born, but lived? You don't know the meaning."

"What's the use in trying to?" Her words rang through his ears, causing the feeling to flair up in argument, and Akefia shook it off. He couldn't break this, he had just gotten to crack her.

Or so he thought.

"You'll see, you'll see." He wagged a finger at her, and smiled as she raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to kill me?"

"But you'll have done a lot of living in that short time, wouldn't you have?"

"Hypothetically?"

"Perhaps."

"Then no, I'd of sat here, and been forced to think, been forced to waste what time I'd have left." This is where she was separate from the last one, this time, she spoke truth, the others spoke what they thought he'd wanted to hear. Just like the others living, she was one of them. She wouldn't die, but why not reach all matters of subject?

"And if you'd have more time?"She huffed, tired of questions.

"Why don't you answer some questions, huh? Why not ask about your thoughts and dreams? Like you were the test subject?" She spat, and he laughed.

"Aren't we all? What exactly do we live for in this world, Tamara? To find love, grow a family, get money, friends? Besides that, why are we here?"

"We're all just a game." Akefia stopped, stopped breathing, thinking, and for a minute, the world stopped with him.

"What?" He asked, had she broken him? When she said such, it reached down into his soul, brain, and heart. All the barriers and shell walls he'd built around it, we ignored as it waltzed right into his very core and knocked at his soul.

"We're all just a game, aren't we? To you, to everyone, every things a game." She expressed, and lowered her eyes to slits and glared at him, his wall and defense going back up. He had misunderstood her meaning in the answer, or had he? Had she realized she'd hit something, then changed it to keep the game up? Did she think her life was on the line in this game? He laughed at the thought, and moved on with the questions.

"Maybe it all is, maybe you're just bluffing and hiding your story."

"I already told you. I don't have a story. I was born, and I'll die. The end." She threw her tied wrists in the air, losing her balance a bit and falling forward, catching her self in a diamond push up. She breathed, and he pulled her back up to stand.

"Now you're clumsy? What happened to the ever so acrobatic runner?"

"I was running for my life then." Her teeth spat the words, and he raised an eyebrow, sitting on his desk, studying her again.

"Then learn to run for your life all the time." She glared, and rolled her eyes, accidentally stepping on the broken ankle, and breathed in a jagged breath. Obviously in pain, but Akefia ignored it, looking at her, but not really at her, through her skin, into her soul.

A soul that had been dormant. A black soul, a nothingness inside her. She might of thought she was dead, but she was wrong, she just hadn't loved yet.

"How old are you?"

"How old are you?"

"Just answer." She huffed, knowing she wouldn't win.

"No." Akefia's eyes widened, but then lowered half over his eyes, and he laughed.

"I think it's in your best interest to answer with out a fight."

"I disagree."

"You fight, but yet, you say you have nothing to fight for...What are you fighting for, Tamara?" She gave a weak and distant smile, thinking back to a time when things weren't so bad. When she'd thought she'd turn out right, but then the one person she'd trusted, betrayed her.

The same person she'd betrayed right back. When her parents left her with her guardian, someone she didn't care to mention anymore, she felt the last of her childish hope die. Along with her broken dreams, she dreamed no more, no further. What was the point? Dreams, in her case, were only dreamed to be squashed by others. Only asked for to get the same answer over and over. No, and then things became, _why? _Then things started to change, a new perspective in her case, she stopped believing things such as her original Jewish culture, herself and everyone else. The sky was something she never saw. Her room was a prison she put herself in, nothing was cared for. Her guardian even wondered sometimes if she were alive, and every time they checked, she was still where she was before, sitting on her bed.

School was a pain. Children moved away from her, and her peers ignored her. Picking on her was useless, and frankly, most were scared to. Seeing what she did to the teacher and other kids, she was left alone, a hazard to everyone except herself. Shrinks couldn't find a thing wrong with her, except perhaps her bad childhood as the source.

No one ever listened.

She snapped back to reality, and gave a smirk.

"You've already heard the answer and I really don't like to repeat myself. I run for nothing." This was one of the longest conversations she'd had in her life. No one got a response out of her, but this was a game she had to play. This didn't count.

"But in your eyes, there's something that says otherwise, Tamara."

"Then you're reading it all wrong. Maybe I'm trying to find that answer myself." She said, which was true. She hadn't known why she'd run in the first place, other then that little voice inside her head told her she had to.

He smiled, and went back to the basic questions.

"How old are you? What's your age?"

"What's it matter?"

"Legal reasons..." He chuckled and she rolled her eyes again.

"I have seventeen years under my belt."

"An odd way to put it, but alright. Seventeen. I'm sure things will work out fine then." He smiled, and looked at her arm, touching the cut lightly.

"Still bleeding...I'll call Ryou..."He said, and turned away from her, sticking his head out of the door, and calling for the boy called Ryou.

Pretty soon, the same boy from before came, with a medical kit in hand.

"Patch her up."

"Yes sir..." She heard him mumble something about lesser injuries would be better for her, and almost laughed as he looked in her eyes fearful and full of sympathy.

"Ryou, I'd like you to meet Tamara..."Akefia lifted a hand to her, and smiled, looking from her to Ryou. Ryou nodded, and went back to work.

"How do you think we should make her pay us back?" Akefia asked Ryou, and Ryou bit his lip, sighing.

"Make her join the team, boss?"

"The team? Perhaps, perhaps...But we don't know what she can do yet."

"We can't see that yet...She's in a bad state-"

"Give her the medicine."

"But boss-"

"Give it to her."

"Alright...Please take this, miss. Tamara." Ryou handed her a small red pill, and she took it in her tied hands, shooting Akefia a look.

"Do you mind?" She asked, raising her wrists in front of her face, and out to his body. He laughed, and shook his head.

"Not yet, take the pill. Maybe then we'll talk about being untied." She sighed, and threw her head back with the pill.

Ryou, at her side, looked from her to Akefia nervously. When his eyes looked down into hers, he quickly looked away.

"Call me if nothing changes...The pain, the bruises or cuts.."His eyes quickly glanced towards Akefia's, who raised an eyebrow. Ryou looked back to her, and cleared his throat.

"If you're still experiencing pain in the next ten minutes, or the pain worsens, call me." With that, he left.

Akefia thought for a moment, waiting for something, anything to happen. But deep down inside himself, he felt something, a need, a desire, like the desire to breathe.

"How...To pay...?" He said, nonchalant and tapping his chin. She looked from her gaze on the door to him, in a blank tone of being.

"How do most people pay?"

"With their lives." Akefia smiled, his back to her, and she sighed.

"Then kill me." She repeated like before, but this time, her voice dull and bored. Was the game boring her? Most likely, it had been dragged on, with little information besides her name and age.

"No, that would give you satisfaction. Release, that would be letting you go, wouldn't it?" He laughed, and turned back to her, arms crossed.

"Fine, don't kill me."

"But then, you're not punished."

"Pick a freaking punishment then, and get this over with. I want to leave."

"And go where?"

She stopped, something clicking. If she was to leave, where would she go? She could go somewhere far away, with no money, prof of anything, and her old town searching up and down the universe. Where was she now? Hadn't they found her here, or this place at all? Hadn't they known or seen who'd taken her?

Why would they care? They'd be ecstatic to have her off their hands, besides, they'd thought her dead, hadn't they?

Where would she go?

"Struck a cord there, did I?" He laughed, and ran his index finger down from the corner of he eye and down to her chin. She didn't move, didn't breathe, realization sinking in. She'd have no where to go, she'd have nothing, just her life ahead of her, living for nothing. Committing suicide was an option she wasn't scared to take, but what happened after was another story.

Nothing, absolutely nothing to live for, no where to go, nothing to do.

"Tell me, Tamara, what is it you planned to do with your life." She glared at him, causing laughter from his side, and sighed.

"Like everything else, nothing. I'm a boring daughter of a bitch. I'm better off dead. I'm useless, trash, nothing." She spat, and he half smiled, and came closer to her, looking down at her, their bodies lingering close.

"Then I can give you an offer you can't refuse."

"I can refuse anything I want to."She glared up to his tan face.

"Even when this will give you something to live for?"

"To be able to be vulnerable and have something taken away? I'd rather have nothing." A look of shock ran across his face for a second, and a quick second at that before he threw his head back in laughter.

"You need something to live for, don't you? Everyone does."

"So they can be played like chess pieces?"

"Just let me make you the demand, alright little ferret?"

"Ha! Now it's a demand?" He put her chin before his index finger and his thumb, a smirk on his lips.

"Yes, since if it were an offer, you'd refuse. It's a demand to pay us back." She glared even more, and he smiled, continuing in a softer voice.

"I want you to join our group."

"What 'group'? A group of insane people?"

"Perhaps, but no, a group of a secret."

"If I'm going to be forced to join, my as well tell me what I'm getting into."

"Exactly. We're a group of assassins with a twist."

"Hardly."

"We test people. Why you ask?" She rolled her eyes.

"Fine, why?"

"Because, we're in our own world, a world, that's far more advance then yours...A dark would, some would say."

"Really? And what exactly 'world' is that?"

"The Dark Side of the Moon."

"HA! RIGHT!" She burst out with laughter, and he waited patiently.

"We serve the world with dark justice, play with people."

"Why?" She asked robotic, her face in shock and disgust. His eyes fixed his gaze into her's, and smiled.

"That's a secret." He was capable of so much more then she could imagine, they all were.

And she'd just gone and fucked up her life by taking their money.

"How do people get to this world?"

"By us, or another way."

"What other way?"

"The people who are unwanted are brought here. Not by our hands, we like to think fate supplies us with our army."

"Unwanted?" Her face shrunk as he continued on.

"The 'unwanted', 'misunderstood', hated. The abused, all which ways, the one's the world could do with out, come here. Brought here, live here. It;s where people disappear right off the face of the earth to, where people vanish to in the Bermuda triangle, and what not." He picked at his nails, and looked to her shocked face.

"And me?"

"You, you were just unlucky, weren't you?" He laughed, with a twisted smile. She looked down, and tried to remember how to breathe, how to think.

"So I join?"

"Yes, but first, you have to be...Tested..." He said, the smirk he wore nearly screaming devious.

"For how long?"

"Testing? Not sure, depends on you...What you can do."

"No, although that answered one of my questions, I meant how long do I have to be in your group?" He smiled, not smirked, but smiled with some sense of knowings. He stepped away, and studdied her gain.

"Has the pain ceased?" She hadn't thought of it until now, and she twictched her ankle, not feeling anything. Her stomach yelled at her, almost eating itself, and her throat ached for water.

"No, just my stomach and throat."

"Throat?" He asked, and brought his face to hers, looking at her neck.

"Yeah, it's all dry and achy..."

"You're thirsty." He said, pinching her skin, and watching it go down quickly.

"Not too dehydrated, but it's in our best interest to get you food and water. RYOU!" He yelled out the door, and Ryou came running.

"Yes Akefia?"

"Get her food and water."

"Alright, I'll bring it soon."

"No no, I'm going to untie her."

"What...?"He looked up to Akefia in wonder, and surprise.

"I'm untying her...She's going to be tested after she regains her strength."

"The pill worked?" His face lit up, and he smiled.

"Yes." Akefia confirmed, pulling out the knife from before and cutting the ropes. Around her ankles and wrists. Ryou smiled at Tamara, and took a step towards her, catching her as she tried to stumble toward the door.

"Careful, you're probably weak...It heals, apparently, but doesn't restore stamina or much else.

"Apparently?" She questioned, and he scratched the back of his head, looking away.

"Yeah, I just kind of invented it...Today..."

"WHAT? I WAS YOUR GUINNIE PIG?"

"Yeah...Sorry." He laughed, and helped her stand on two feet, walking slowly down the hall.

"Any side effects?"

"None known...Yet."

"Oh for the love of children."She scuffed, a phrase she used loosely. She hated children, but it seemed to fall out of her mouth.

"What?"

"Nothing." She huffed, and rubbed her sore wrists.

_**AN: AND SHE HAS A NAME! :D**_

_**Took forever though...Because this time, she kind of named herself. It rolled off my tongue after some serious thinking and character building, but before she decided to throw it at the back of my head, I knew it starter with a 'T'. weird huh?**_

_**A more darker side to my writing, and it's kind of fun to write in the black rather then just the white and gray. :) **_

_**Anywho, yu gi oh characters belong to their creators NOT ME. And I OWN THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON WORLD AND MY OC'S. **_

_**R&R IF YA LOVE MEH! :D, I mean, my writing. XD lawl.**_

_**And it's just about make my day :D**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three: Sit Down, Play A While**

Ryou led her into a kitchen looking room, after a long, slow, walk down the hallway. She ached for the food, and her mouth watered at the smell and sight of food. She let her shoulders sink, and her stomach reacted by growling loudly. She squeezed her stomach, and told it to hush as Ryou laughed.

"I'm sorry he kept you so long...But you have to understand, it was protocol...Necessary... Not everyone makes it here to the Dark Side of the Moon. We have to make sure the newest members are strong."

"I'm not a member yet." She protested, and he nodded, half smiling.

"Right, the tests.." He mumbled quietly, and she wondered.

"What kind of tests will he put me through?"

"Not just him,The whole crew...You must know our strengths before our weaknesses, and what not. Know each other to make a team. I can't tell you about the tests, I'm sorry." He said, and grabbed a plate down from the cupboard and started piling food on it.

"Oh, thanks." She said as he placed it in front of her.

"So, how old are you, Miss. Tamara?" She took a bite of the food, happy to eat finally, and thought. If she'd be a member soon, why not say age now?

"Seventeen, You?"

"Seventeen." He smiled, and she took another bite.

"Cool. So who else is here?"

"Here?"

"In the group?"

"Oh, there's Akefia, Bakura, Melvin, Marik and me. Oh, and hopefully, you to." Hopefully? She stopped, but then thought of the tests, shrugging it off.

"Who runs the group?"

"Akefia. He's not supposed to interrogate, but..."

"He's not?" She stopped, and he nodded.

"Yeah, but with you...I don't know...Akefia might have had a plan. He's a great boss." He smiled, getting up to get her water.

"Okay...What about Bakura? You two look similar.."

"He was a clone of me. A study and test Akefia ran, taking the dark of my personality disorder and creating another me. He came in that form, and Akefia did the same test with Melvin and Marik." He sighed, and Tamara bit her lip, unsure what to say.

"And what happened to Melvin?"

"Akefia wanted to try something. So he mixed Melvin's genes with a monster's genes. He caught the monster, took a hair, analyzed it to find it a gargoyle bat thing, and mixed it in with Melvin's DNA."

"Oh..."

"He can still walk and talk, and he's basically almost human. Just a little better with some things."

"Is Melvin the only one Akefia experimented with like that?"

"No, he's experimented with others, just Melvin's one of the only one's who's made it."

"What of the others?"

"They got saved..."He mumbled to himself, and shook it off, leaving it there.

"What..?"

"Eat, I'll prepare a room for you." He smiled, and got up, walking down the hall.

She stared at her plate, and began to eat slower as she heard voices coming down the hall. One voice the voice of before, Marik was it? And a deeper voice she really didn't recognize.

"I know! Hard to believe HE did the interrogating..." Marik said as he turned to see her sitting at the table.

"What?" Bakura asked, standing taller behind him.

"Oh...Hi..." Marik said, and she sighed, closing her eyes in annoyance. She stood up, and brushed past Marik, but Bakura caught her arm and dragged her back to the kitchen and to her chair.

"What are you doing out?" He demanded, and she glared as he glared back.

"He let me out. I'm going to go through tests tomorrow."

"Really? Right. I'll believe that when I see it tomorrow. AKEFIA!" He yelled down the hall, and not too long after that, Akefia appeared, leaning against the door frame.

"What?" He asked in an angered and bored tone.

He had taken off his jacket, but still wore the rest of his outfit.

"Did you let her go?"

"Let her go? No, I let her in the group. At least, not until she test tomorrow. Why? Are you going against my judgment?"

"No, I just thought, since before-"

"Well, don't think then." He said, turned and left. Marik laughed after he was out of ear shot, and Bakura glared at him, then to Tamara.

"What's your name?"

"Tamara."

"Well, I'm Bakura, and this is Marik. We're part of the group as well. Have you met Ryou?"

"Yes, and Melvin to." She spat, and he smiled, looking to Marik.

"Female's got spunk." He laughed, and turned back to Tamara.

"Right, And male can't back up." She challenged and he pushed back, her chair going back, and him jumping back in the same.

"Wanna' make something of it?"

"Maybe I do." She said, huffing and standing up.

"Miss. Tamara-! Bakura stop!" Ryou came in, and Bakura looked down at his mini clone.

"Why should I? She started it."

"She's weak and has to tomorrow."

"Right, Marik, hold him will ya?" Marik looked to Ryou, and frowned.

"Bakura, just drop it. Seriously." Marik said, and Bakura looked to him in disbelief.

"Now you're on his side?"

"Well, he's right. And she's new...She doesn't know any better..." He looked over to her cautiously and she scuffed at his remark, rolling her eyes.

"Right, whatever." She brushed past the fuss, and ran into Akefia on her way out.

"What's happened here?" He looked down to her, and then to the boys in the kitchen.

"Wasn't me." She spat, and he laughed once, pulling her into the kitchen with him.

"Akefia..."Ryou and Marik gulped, and Bakura huffed.

"What's going on?" He asked again, and they all looked to Tamara then him.

"Well, Bakura..."Marik motioned towards Bakura, who was thrown an angry glare by Akefia.

"Bakura?"

"She challenged me..." Was all he said, glaring at her.

"She's new, deal with it."

"Deal with it? If she'd of challenged you, she'd be gone by now!" Akefia laughed, and Tamara thought a bit, hadn't she challenged him before? She was still here...

"Bakura, who run's this place again?"

"You, Akefia. But still-"

"That's right, ME. And you're challenging my rules."

"I didn't mean-"

"I don't care what you meant. I want you to stop this rash behavior."

"It wasn't all my fault!"

"I know, and I'll deal with her later. But right now, you need to listen to me." Bakura stopped, huffing angrily, and stormed out of the kitchen, passing Tamara and shooting her a nasty glare.

Akefia turned to Tamara, and dragged her back to his office, as she reached out for Ryou and Marik, who shook their heads and sighed.

Once in Akefia's office, he turned to her, shutting the door and looking into her eyes, shoving her against a wall.

"Don't make me regret this."

"Regret what? It's my stupid fault." She scuffed, acid in her voice. He laughed.

"You just keep this going, don't you?" He breathed in her face, and she scrunched her face away.

"Well, yell at me and let me go to sleep."

"Ha! Right. Look, don't pick fights with the others, I swear they cause enough of their problems. Adding a female would make it all worse..."She huffed, and he pulled away, letting her go.

"Leave me be." He said, turning, and waving her off. She gladly left, almost ran out of the room, and he laughed.

After she was gone, he sat at his desk. The resemblance was almost appalling. Was that the reason he'd gone and done the interrogation himself? Or was there really something, the spark, in her? She acted almost like her, every word and action her own, yet almost an exact copy. Had someone else cloned her? Impossible, humans weren't that smart. He'd kept the technology away form them...But he couldn't help but think.

He shook it from his head completely, and decided it was just his memory messing with him. She wasn't the same person as the last one, she couldn't be. Sure, they had some resemblance, but their personalities were different. This wasn't anything near the last one, he just wanted to believe this was a wall she was using, when it was her.

Or was it?

He couldn't forget something so unusual, but something about her taunted him.

Nonetheless, the test must be done. Survival or no survival. Resemblance or no resemblance. He'd have to bury what was left of that hope and carry one, it was time to anyways. This one wasn't the candy of the last one, this one was a bit of poison, and fought for a reason even she didn't know.

Something arose in him, and he walked out of his office to Melvin's room.

"Melvin?" He called, and a pair of eyes shown in the darkness.

"Master?"

"What...When you were chasing her..."

"No, it's not."

"You're sure?"

"I would recognize that anywhere, I'm sure." He huffed poison gas into Akefia's hopes, and he nodded.

"You're right. Couldn't be her, could it?" The eyes locked his for a moment, and came closer in the shadow.

"You would like me to check again?"

"No, no I didn't ask that."

"Not with words."

"No, I'm telling you not to check again, Melvin." Melvin sighed, and the eyes drifted farther again.

"Alright then."

"Good night."

"Good night Master."

He walked on back to his office, slowly taking out the last memory he had of that time, and sighed.

Tamara laid in her bed, and looked up to the ceiling. Nothing was really mentionable of the room, it was more a guest room. She suddenly sat up, and ran out her room to the only room she knew, the kitchen.

She looked in the door, to find no one in there, and panicked. Where had Ryou gone? She needed to ask a question...

"Ryou?" She called down the hall, but only heard her own voice echo back.

"Looking for Ryou?" Someone's voice echoed in the shadows, and she whipped around to the dark kitchen, yellow eyes gleaming into hers in the shadows.

"Yeah." She said, about to flick on the light when a hand caught hers.

"Don't or I won't help you."

"But...Who are you?"She asked, and the eyes lowered a bit, studying her.

"You've seen me before, trust me. Ryou's in his room."

"Which room is that?"

"The room at the end of the hall. He might be sleeping..."

"Oh..." She turned, but a slightly tan hand reached out and stopped her, quickly darting back in the shadows.

"Don't wake him." The man in the shadow growled, and Tamara huffed.

"Then what am I supposed to do? I have to ask him a question."

"Ask me."

"You won't reveal yourself to me."

"Then I guess you're out of luck." The eyes started to drift back into the darker shadows as she reached in, and felt a piece of clothing, cotton, like a shirt, and something smacked her hand away.

"Don't touch me!" The man in the shadows hissed.

"Then wait, I'll ask you the question." He waited, and she breathed.

"I had a bag with me...I know the villagers beat me up and took the money, but what happened to the rest? It's not with me."

"Ryou wouldn't have known that...Your bag should be with Akefia."

"How do you know?"

"I told you you've seen me before." The voice mocked, and she huffed.

"Fine." She pulled her hand away, and the man grabbed her again.

"Are you going to wake Akefia?"

"No! You expect me to go wake him up? NO! I'm already on his not-so-happy-with side!" She yanked away once more, and stormed off to where her room was.

Akefia hadn't shown her his kinder side? He'd assumed that he would have...Due to his thought process earlier with the messed up conversation...Akefia must have done one of the hardest things then, Melvin decided, if he was able to let her live, and almost not hurt her at all...He'd watch a little longer, at least for now. With the secret mission he had, that Akefia pleaded for with his eyes, but rejected with his words, Melvin sighed.

He turned back to the shadows, tail hanging low, and went back to his room.

The next morning, Tamara's eyes drifted open feeling heavy. She'd slept like a rock, and was hard to wake up. Even though it was just a common bed, it felt like a cloud to her, considering she'd spent the last two nights in pain.

Ryou poked his head in, and blinked at her.

"Are you awake now?" He asked, voice quiet. She rolled to her side, and sighed.

"Whether she's awake or not, she'd better be up." Someone behind him said and Ryou hushed them.

"No no, I'm up." She yawned, sitting up.

"Good, move Ryou." Someone pushed past Ryou, and she opened her eyes lazily to look at Bakura.

"Blah, shut your face." She said, and he laughed.

"Come on, gotta' get you ready for testing." Her eyes flew open as she realized he was right. He picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"PUT ME DOWN!" She yelled, and he put a hand to her mouth.

"Hush, you'll wake Akefia." She bit his hand and he dropped her.

"OW!" He examined his bleeding palm as Marik and Ryou rushed over.

"The hell I care about waking him up? I told you to put me down!" Bakura, Ryou and Marik all looked at her, then up above her. She turned her head to see Akefia, wearing a gray tank top and pajama pants. He glared down at them, staring into each of their eyes, until he got to Tamara, who seemed a bit surprised to see him, but still him glaring at her was the worst. His glare was full of anger and disgust, but mostly, annoyance.

"Good morning sir." Ryou said, looking up from Bakura's hand only for a second.

"What. Happened." He asked everyone, but only looked at Tamara.

"Well, sir, we tried to wake her up, but she sleeps like the dead, and so Ryou finally got her up, but by that time, Bakura had grown impatient, and so he went in picked her up and started to carry her to the test preparation room...And she tried to yell, so he covered her mouth so she wouldn't wake you up, and she bit his hand..."Marik explained, and Akefia's gaze lifted from Tamara to Bakura's hand, which was wrapped in slightly bloody gauze.

"She bites like a piranha..."Bakura explained, unwrapping the gauze and showed the bite mark on his palm to Akefia.

"What a nice way to wake up...Tamara, my office."

"But-"

"NOW." He said, turning on his heels back to his room, and she looked to the boys in the hallway once more, to see Bakura patching up his hand again, and Marik frowning.

She reluctantly walked to his office, her head down and spirit low.

"Again, really?" He started as soon as she shut the wooden door.

"Akefia it wasn't my fault-"

"Just, stop Tamara. STOP." He held up a palm, and she huffed, folding her arms and tapping her foot a bit.

"Fine. I've stopped. Now what?"

"DON'T EVEN START THAT." His voice shook through her, full of power and alpha male genes. There was no challenging an alpha, and an alpha Akefia was. Alpha male, and the one you respected at all times and costs. She raised an eyebrow, trying to remain her uncaring posture.

Akefia sat down in his chair behind his desk, and put his head in his hands, running them through his short white hair. After a while, he took a breath, and spoke:

"Tamara...I...You..."He struggled with what to say, and finally just gave up. He spoke his mind the next time he opened his mouth.

"Same person, Tamara...Bakura, again?"

"It wasn't my fault, I already told you-"

"Same person, and this time, blood was drawn." He huffed, looking to her and immediately standing in front of her, hand holding her jaw open.

"Did you get any of his blood in your mouth?" He demanded and she managed something along the lines of a negative response.

"Are you sure? I'm not sure what his blood would do to you..." He said, checking her mouth again, and she pulled away.

"Quit touching me. No, I don't think I got any of his blood in my mouth. I just bit him and he dropped me."

"I have to make sure, he was an experiment with Ryou, I don't know what clone blood would do to you."He scolded, and she looked away from him, arms crossed.

"You don't have to touch me, asking is enough." She rolled her eyes at him, and he bit his tongue from any further gasoline in this already to highly flammable dispute.

"Master?" Melvin called, stepping in the room and noticing Tamara and him looking angrily at him. He ignored Tamara, and looked to Akefia, who lessened his glare.

"Yes?"

"I heard commotion...What happened?"

"ANOTHER dispute between her and Bakura."

"Another?" He questioned, and looked to Tamara, who let out a 'hmpf' and turned away from them.

"Yeah. Again. I don't know if I should lock them in a room together, or put them in separate corners." Akefia spat at her, but turned his attention to Melvin.

"They're bumping heads then?"

"I'm not sure, but you know Bakura, and we're defiantly beginning to know Tamara. But yes, most likely."

"She is female..."

"AND WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" She snapped at Melvin, who leaned away from her trying to get in his face at her five foot five to his six foot five. He sighed, and turned his yellow eyes to Akefia.

"She's still spiteful from the chase."

"Indeed. She's got the spirit of a rebel."

"I'M RIGHT HERE." She scuffed at them, and they ignored her.

"Tamara, leave us." Akefia ordered, but she didn't move. Melvin shot her an 'are you crazy?' look and wondered what Akefia would do...

Not something he expected...

Akefia stood up and walked to Tamara, coffee in hand, and stood in front of her, their bodies just inches away as he glared down. She glared right back up to him, and Melvin looked on in shock. Akefia was treating her the same as everyone else, minus the space in between them. Melvin hesitated to separate them, but knew better then to go against Akefia's orders.

"I said leave us." Akefia poured his acid out, and she spat it back at him.

"Make me." Akefia smirked, and moved a little closer, and Melvin knew he had to stop it there.

"Master...Perhaps...She'd listen if you weren't so direct and...close to her...Space is a much better threat, and it shows class." Melvin tried to soothe his master, and put a hand on both their stomachs, pushing them back slightly.

Akefia looked to Melvin, confused, but shook it off and looked to Tamara.

"Leave us. Ryou will take you to the testing preparation chamber." He pointed to the door, and she glared, held her tongue, and left the room.

"Melvin?" He questioned, and Melvin looked to his master.

"You have a space issue with her, you're getting to close." He said, and Akefia laughed.

"Why can't I treat her like everyone else?"

"You don't do that to Bakura when he's getting yelled at, or anyone else for that matter."

"But the last time, I let her think she could run me, this whole place."

"Looking at her, you know she doesn't think that. She's just...In a hateful state. You have her here against her will."

"No, she ran into us, she was sent to us Melvin."

"Maybe, maybe not. If she was, give her space."

"Are you ordering me?" Akefia laughed.

"No, just a little of helpful advice...I know what you see in her, and I'm sorry to say, they aren't the same...Wishful thinking comes to mind, Master."

"But she seems so..."

"I know..."

"Wishful thinking? What happened to you? You were there too..."

"There's not a moment I don't look at her and not think of it, Akefia."

"You were just attached as me."

"I learned to live with the fact."

"Right." Akefia thought back to the times again, something he rarely did.

"Master, perhaps, she's bad for you health. Let her go."

"No..."

"Master...Then let me do the testing...You'd either push too far or not far enough..."

"No, I have to do it."

"Let me accompany you?"

"Melvin, I can do this." Akefia reassured, and Melvin looked at him with knowing eyes.

"Akefia..."

"I can. Trust me." He said, and Melvin gave in.

"I'll step in if I see to one flaw." Melvin breathed, and Akefia bit his tongue, knowing Melvin meant well.

"Now who's running this place?" Akefia laughed, to shake away the memories.

"You are. I just step in when you get carried away."

"And how often is that?"

"Recently?" Melvin smiled, and left Akefia to get ready.

During the testing, Tamara was confused. Some tests she'd have to make it through a maze, then others, they'd just ask her questions.

"What's all the mixed up tests for?" She asked, bored f their voices and the white room.

"Just answer honestly."

"Haven't I already? Wanna' put a lie detector on me?" She laughed, laying on the ground and holding up her wrist in the air. There was no laughter and no noise at all from the intercom in the white room. She looked to the blacked out window. Tough crowd.

She sighed, and sat back up.

"Next one?" She asked, laughing to herself.

After the questions test, she had to go through tests with even obstacle courses.

"You're results are low. Can't you run faster?" Akefia asked, and she scuffed.

"I ALRADY TOLD YOU! I WAS RUNNING FOR MY LIFE!" She screamed, and continued on with the next test.

The next few tests, she had to stop.

"I can't go on..."She said, falling to the white ground and closing her eyes,

"You have to. Get up."

"NO."  
>"CONTINUE."<p>

"WELL WHY DON'T YOU COME IN HERE AND MAKE ME?" She yelled, and a door opened, making her open her eyes to reveal Melvin standing over her.

"What was that again?"He asked, crouching low next to her.

"Go ahead and kill me. Do me a huge freakin' favor." She spat and he pulled his eyebrows back in surprise.

"If you insist." He said, biting her arm hard. She jumped up and yanked it away, running away from the man. He smiled, and walked towards her slowly, a smirk on his lips. She backed up, and ran through the course, Melvin on her tail.

Before she knew it, she was at the end, and she sat down, panting. She closed her eyes, and was suddenly picked up.

"EH?" She expressed, and jumped out of Melvin's arms, backing away from him. He looked to her, eyebrows in surprise and a questioning arc.

"You finished the test. I'm to take you back."

"You're going to kill me, why should I trust you?"

"That was part of the test." He said, his voice blank and low. Not harmful. Not scary.

"Right. How do I know you're not going to take me to your lair. And then eat me?" He laughed, and rolled his eyes at her childishness.

"You're just like a child. Come on, Akefia's waiting."

"How many people have you fooled with that one? How many have you killed? Tasted their blood and basket in it? Eating them...Piece by piece...Limb by limb..." She coaxed, and something clicked in him, the mentioning of eating, destroying. Not again, he tried to fight it off, but she had already called its attention.

"People taste good to you, don't they?" He threw his head back in laughter, and a golden eye shown on his forehead. She backed away, scared. Had she called something out? She breathed a yelp as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to stand up in front of him.

"You should be enough, right? You've got it pumping through you fast enough now, don't you?" He laughed, and brought his teeth to her wrist and bit as she screamed for help, hitting him and kicking him. She tried to push off, away from the danger, but he held her tightly. She felt her life being sucked out of her, everything running with her blood straight out of her wrist to Melvin's body.

He was sucking the life out of her.

"MELVIN!" Akefia yelled, running into the room. Melvin's ears perked up, but he didn't stop as Akefia brought a hand to his shoulder, and pushed him away from Tamara. He growled, and almost lunged forward to her, but Akefia stood in the way, and looked down at him.

"STOP. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS." He ordered, and Melvin sat down, confused between desire and order. He finally went back to himself, the eye disappearing.

"Sorry." He said, looking up to Akefia, who turned to pick up Tamara.

"How much did you take?"

"I'm not sure...A lot though..." He dropped his head in shame, and frowned as Akefia looked over the passed out Tamara.

"The Egyptian eye was out?"

"Yes..."

"Shit.."He exclaimed, running to the lab in a hurry.

"I'm sorry...She called it out...I couldn't.."

"I know...She's just an idiot."

"We should have told her about it..."

"Too late now." He said, his hands quickly and swiftly hooking her up to the machines.

"What can I help with?"

"Check what working DNA we have of the animals and what not... We have to turn her into something stronger then human otherwise she's going to die." He exclaimed, taking one small second to stroke her cheek. This wouldn't happen, he'd make sure.

"Not many sir, but we do have a few options."

"Well I need them now!" He snapped, trying to keep her heart beating while he listened to the options.

"We have a Nixie with a Protoceratid, a black footed ferret, a Pegasus, a kangaroo, and a Phoenix." He said, tone a bit rushed, but slightly calm. Akefia thought, Phoenix. That was Tamara from what he'd gathered in their short acquaintance.

"Give me the Phoenix!" He ordered, and Melvin ran carefully, but quickly over to Akefia, handing him the DNA.

Akefia took the DNA, and quickly set it in her blood stream, forcing them to bond with biting his thumb gently, drawing his blood, smearing it on the marks Melvin left, both healing and combining her DNA with the Phoenix's.

"Let's hope this works..."

"Yes..." Melvin said, hanging his head down in shame. It was his fault for this, and he blamed himself. But it wasn't entirely his fault, it was Tamara's and his own. He should have more control. He felt his sadness, and Akefia's sadness.

For a minute, the machines stopped beating, and only the body temperature was sky rocketing, everything else, had stopped.

Akefia let his head fall down a bit, taking the forced oxygen his body demanded. He'd lost another one, but most importantly, he'd lost the one he needed. The female from before was never this stupid, ignorant or cocky. This would never had happened with that one.

He felt sadness, running through his own mind to try to ignore the ever so quickly invasion of realization. She was dead, in the process of dying...There was nothing he could do...

He moved his hands to hold one of hers, black tears threatening. How could have he let her just go like that? No, he couldn't, wouldn't.

"She's still got a temperature, Melvin, I want you to come get me when it finishes. Alright?"

"But Master, That's just the body-"

"Come get me." He said, turning to exit. He stole one last look at Tamara, and sighed.

Melvin watched as Akefia left the room, then turned to Tamara.

"Don't fail on him...I know I've hurt you, scared you...And you owe me nothing, not even a word...But please, don't give up just yet..."He asked the body lying there. He didn't expect an answer or anything, and put his heads in his hands, sitting down in Akefia's chair.

The temperature spiked higher and higher by each minute, and pretty soon, it was past on hundred, stopping at four hundred and thirteen degrees. He rang the buzzer to Akefia's office, and a minute later, Akefia was there.

"Anything new?"

"Her temperature stopped." Melvin pointed to the screen, and Akefia's eyes widened.

"Melvin..." Melvin looked up, and Akefia smiled.

"What?"

"New Phoenix." He smiled, and at first, Melvin said nothing, but never got the chance to say anything as they felt a wave of heat hit them, then a bright white light, which got sucked into where Tamara lay.

The machines started beeping again.

She opened her eyes, now a blazing magenta fire, and looked around the room. She jumped back when she looked to Melvin, who was too happy she was alive to care she was scared of him at the moment.

"You tried to kill me!" Her voice echoed in the room, and what looked like tribal tattoos were shown on her wrists, ankles, her neck, and forehead.

"I didn't mean to. You called the demon out. But now you're alive, aren't you?"

"Alive?" She looked to her skin, noticing the new found marks.

"Tattoos...Phoenix mark?" Akefia turned to Melvin, and they both shrugged, turning to Tamara.

"We brought you back to life Tamara, with the help of a Phoenix."

"I'M NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN DRAW ON!"

"We didn't do that...Your body was reborn a host of the Phoenix. If you calm down, I'll explain it all in my office." Akefia held out a hand to her, and she looked at it for a minute, then to his eyes.

The Phoenix spirit settled down, causing her temperature to go back to normal, and the marks to turn black and purple instead of red and gold on her skin.

She held the Phoenix crown on her forehead, and her eyes turned to normal.

Akefia thought for a moment, laughing to himself.

"The Phoenix jar would disappear if we tried to mix it with someone else..." he mumbled to Melvin who nodded, and looked to Tamara.

"What?" She spat, and looked away, and right into a mirror.

Her hair was now red, gold with touches of black and purple at the ends. Right now, they were all dark, the gold a brown, the red a dark red, and the black and purple deep dark colors. She lightly brought her hand to touch the marked crown on her forehead, looking to the fire tattooed around her wrist, and the one around her neck.

She studied her neck more closely, looking at the design that matched the crown, but smaller and centered in the middle of her neck, an inch band and the designs inside the small band. It held swirls of fire, and a sun in the middle, with a Phoenix in the middle of the sun.

She gaped and gasped, and Akefia came behind her, lightly touching her shoulder.

"Do you not want to be explained to?"

"I think I get the gist." She hissed, and he raised an eyebrow.

"If anything, Melvin can teach you how to keep it under control."

"I don't want to learn a dam thing from him." She hissed, and stormed off to her room.

_**AN: And thus, TAMARA BECAME A PHOENIX! It was just sitting there, calling me. I KNOW IT'S OVER PLAYED AND WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE USE IT, but it's Tamara. I couldn't change it...It was for her.**_

_**Not much to say here...Except how she keeps getting in trouble with Bakura, then getting yelled at XD.**_

_**Read and Review if you'd like, and It'd make me happy if you did :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four: Play Time.**

Tamara had stormed off into her room, only to regret not asking Akefia about her bag.

She walked back out, a scowl on her face, but knocked on his office door.

"Come in." He called from inside, and she opened the door to reveal him sitting at his desk, looking down at paperwork with glasses. He half smiled at the sight of her, thoughts running through his head of the past female.

The Phoenix hadn't chose the last one. Maybe that was the spark he saw in this one. Nonetheless, he leaned back, and raised his eyebrows expectant.

"I thought you 'got the gist' of it."

"That's not what I'm here for." She hissed, and sighed, crossing her arms.

"Oh? Then what are you here for?" He pressed his fingertips together and gave a small smile at her brashness.

"When the town beat the shit out of me, what happened to my bag? With my stuff?"

"They took the money, but your other few belongings are right here." He said, tossing the bag near the cabinet in his office. She nodded, and turned.

"Thanks." She said, and he smiled, a bit surprised.

"That's new of you."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it." She said, not turning and leaving the room. She heard his light laughter from the other side, and looked down.

Stepping into the hallway, she ran into Marik head on and they both fell down.

"OW!" They both called out, and looked at each other.

"Sorry." Marik said, quickly sitting up and helping her pick up some of the things. His hand ran across a picture of a boy, and he picked it up, studying it for a minute. She snatched it away, and quickly stuffed it into her bag.

"Hey, who was that?" He asked, and she turned away from him.

"Someone who's dead to me now." Marik sighed, and looked at her walking away in wonder.

Something was up, and maybe he just didn't know her enough to be told who it was.

He walked to Ryou's room and knocked on the door lightly.

"Yes?" Ryou called from inside.

"Hey..."

"Hello. How are you today?" Ryou smiled, and Marik laughed.

"You don't have to be that way with me, Ryou. You're to nice..." Marik laughed, and Ryou gave him a look.

"What?"

"Nothing...Hey...Do you think you can find out something for me...?"

Tamara rushed to her room in a hurry. She didn't think anyone would have to see the picture anymore, not even her. How did it get in her bag? She hadn't remembered putting it in there...

But that one time when she wasn't alone rang in her mind. No, that was the past, she was always alone, and she hated people. Nothing was of that time anymore, she was in the present now. There was no one, nothing in her past...

But she couldn't ignore that lie much longer, she knew inside her that there's one reason for one person. One reason, and things just went wrong with that one person...Which is why she wouldn't think of it any longer.

She took one last look at the picture growing angry at the very sight of him, and the markings around her wrist lit up, her temperature turning to high numbers. The picture started to catch flame as her wrists turned to real fire. She looked on in shock as the picture fell to ashes, and smirked at the thought of him burning.

There was a knock on the door, and she turned to open it just as Ryou looked down to her and smiled.

"Hey, Tamara."

"Ryou?" She asked, quizzical.

"I...I wanted to ask you..."

"Ryou, can I speak to Tamara for a minute?" Melvin asked, looking over Ryou and down at her. She Scowled up at him, and he half smiled as Ryou stepped aside.

"S-Sure..." Ryou looked back to her, but she paid no attention to him and focused her attention on Melvin.

"What?" She asked, annoyed with his appearance.

"I came to talk to you about controlling your Phoenix..."

"I don't want to hear it. I didn't even want to be a Phoenix." She spat, and he sighed.

"It saved your life, but now you're a part of it, you have to be taught whether you like me or not."

She opened her mouth to speak, but Akefia stepped in and smiled.

"You owe us, Tamara. You must be taught to join the group." She scowled and glared at them, but followed them to outside.

She looked up at the sky, looking all around. The sky wasn't blue, no, it was purple. There were clouds, but they were gray, and the trees were orange.

"What happened?" She asked, shocked.

"The Dark Side of the Moon. You're actually in another world, Tamra." Melvin said, voice bored as usual. She gaped, jaw dropped, at everything.

"The sun's green, the grass is orange, everything is opposite." Melvin said again, shrugging. She took a breath, and shook it off.

"Now, you must learn how to work with the Phoenix. Melvin has a gargoyle/demon inside him, and he's the only other one this transaction has worked on, so he can teach you." She turned to Melvin, and waited, impatiently.

A while later, after she had the gist of control and calling to it, he sighed.

"Now, we fly."

"Fly?"

"Yes, I want you to take a running start, and transform. You should change, and it should take over the basics of flying..."

"SHOULD?" She exclaimed, and he urged her to go on. She took a breath, and started running, her feet beating against the ground faster and faster, and she jumped up hovering in the sky. She breathed a breath of excitement and disbelief, but then saw a demon like creature flying after her. She scrambled in the air, but then suddenly was flying fast.

The wind blew in her face, but she didn't really feel it, and twirled straight up in the air, spreading her wings of fire wide.

She was now in full Phoenix form, on fire and all. She dived back down over the over looker Akefia, and the others who had their noses pressed to the glass inside. She let out a cry of joy, and fell through the wind almost hitting the ground, but flew back up.

The sensation of such flight ran through all of her, and she never felt this before, this emotion.

She wanted to jump for joy, wanted to scream out in a voice that wasn't pain or anger. She wanted to cry, but she wasn't sad. What was this?

A thought crept into her head, and dived boomed for Akefia, stopping inches from his face.

"Having fun?" He said, and half smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Entirely too much." Melvin said, transforming back into his human form, and looked up at her.

"Time to come in now, you've learned how to fly."

"Come and cathc me!" She exclaimed, and before she could soar back up, A hand grabbed her ankle, keeping her from the vast sky she wished to adventure.

"Come inside now Tamara, change back." Akefia spoke loud in his Alpha voice, and she sighed, changing back once Akefia let go.

She looked up once more at the purple sky, and sighed.

"You'll get to fly another time." Melvin nodded in agreement to Akefia's comment, and she followed them inside.

"WHOA! YOU JUST FLEW!" Marik and Ryou came running to them, in excitement and surprise at Tamara, She flashed a brilliant smile, and Akefia pulled her to his office.

"You'll get time to gloat later. We still have something to discuss." She laughed as she heard the other two's excitement be trampled, and went into the office, Melvin behind her.

"Yes?" She asked, patient.

"It might of come to your attention...As it has ours, that you didn't bring much with you from your home."

"No, I didn't think I'd be getting into anything near this." She sighed, annoyed with the topic.

"Exactly...That's why we're taking you to town."

"Town?" She gave Akefia a questioning look, and he nodded.

"You need clothing and items of your own." He looked over her dirty clothes, that were ripped and nearly falling apart. She looked over herself, and sighed, she hated shopping.

"By myself? You're stupid enough to trust me?" She asked, laughing to herself, she knew there would be a catch. Akefia smiled, and shook his head.

"Nope. Since you are female, we thought it befitting to send a female shopping with you, instead of a male." She glared at him, and he stood up, walking past her and tapping her chin up with his index finger. She scrunched her face up and moved her head away, and Akefia kept his smile, lowering his eyelids at her, the turned to Melvin.

"Did you call her?"

"Yes, she should be here soon."

"Who?" Tamara asked, and Akefia looked back to her, tilting his head.

"Isis. She's Marik and Melvin's sister. She was a testing subject, but never really made the group. Besides, she's got other things running for her."Akefia shrugged, and forced himself to look away from Tamara, wanting so badly to have her close. He shook it from his head. This wasn't the last one...And Isis wasn't either...The last one...Was something to be locked away, and once again, he shook it away.

"You're kidding." Tamara exclaimed as Akefia sat back down.

"No. She's going to take you into town, and...Melvin, would you mind accompanying them? Don't want our little bird to think she can run, now do we?" He said, holding a pen at each end and spinning it like a tiny log in his fingers.

She glared at him, and looked to the floor, sighing.

"Yes sir, I will go." Melvin nodded, and left the room. Akefia looked to Tamara, and stood up, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She quickly looked up at him, full glare directed at him. He sighed, and took his hand away, looking ot something else before she would notice-

"What was that?" She scuffed, and he laughed once.

"Nothing."

"Look, I'm not sick, or sad. Nothings wrong with me, now stop touching me." She hissed, and he smiled, laughing to himself.

"You will respect me." He said, suddenly close to her face, inches away. He smirked, all his teeth barred. She lowered her eyelids to slits, and glared right back,

"And you will respect me." She hissed, and he threw his head back in laughter, looking back to her, eyes amused.

"Oh, you're funny." She held her tongue, and glared, knowing she had said wrong, almost thankful he didn't do anything to discipline her. He pulled his face away, and looked to the door, walking toawrds it and turning back to Tamara.

"Are you coming?"

"Where?" She spat.

"Just come." He sighed, and she got up, following him.

After waving Tamara, Melvin and Isis off to the city, Akefia turned to the building, sighing.

He went to his room, laying down in the darkness.

Thoughts of the last one crept into his head, and for once, he didn't shake them away this time.

He drifted off with the sound of her voice ringing in her ears, and welcomed sleep, awaiting it, and the sweet dreams he's hoped it would bring.

He awoke, and walked to the kitchen, finding Tamara standing there in a mint green waitress dress, her hair tied up in one of those old 1950's lace headbands.

She turned her head for a minute and smiled, as Akefia smiled back, walking towards the table.

She smiled, eyes looking up into his, playful and hypnotizing. They shone with a purple knowing, holding his soul in them, keeping and air of mystery.

He looked her up and down as she turned around with a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage and toast, setting it on an already set table for one with a glass of orange juice, and the news paper next to it. He smiled, and looked up from her hands to her face, a slight blush emerging on her cheek bones. He took a step towards her, an arm finding it's way to her quicker then the rest of his body, and wrapping around her waist, her skin just beneath the clothes.

He smiled down at her, his hand holding hers in midair, and his fingers fitting perfectly into the spaces between her own.

"Aren't you eating with me?" He asked, a smile that was both lips and teeth, not a smirk, and not weary. She looked up to him, through her eyelashes, and tilted her head, a whisper on her lips.

"Akefia..." She said, and he lightly touched his lips to her own, causing her to pull back in shock, blinking her eye innocently then giggling with an air of happiness. Akefia smiled back, this time going back for a more meaningful kiss, feeling her kiss back.

She pulled away once again, and sighed, repeating his name, motioning to the breakfast she made, and as he turned, she said his name again making him look back to quickly, and he sat up quickly, looking around in to his room.

He shook his head, which was now in his hands as he leaned forward, and sighed. He shouldn't be dreaming like that, it couldn't happen.

He breathed a few times, and looked at the time. It was eight in the morning, and just about time for him to get up. He sighed, swinging his legs to the ground, and padded off to the kitchen, not bothering with a shirt.

He yawned, stretching and blinking his eyes to reveal Tamara standing at the stove in a pair of jeans, a red tank top , and her hair pulled back to reveal marks in the shape of wings on her shoulder blades.

"Didn't notice those..."Akefia said, gently touching the marks as Tamara looked behind her, taking out the head phones she had in.

"What?" She asked, and noticed him looking down at her shoulders.

"You have wings..." He mumbled, and the thoughts of his dream making him look to Tamara carefully.

"I do?"She asked, and turned, walking away from him down the hall, and gasping when she came back to the scrambled eggs she was making.

"So I do.."She said, fixing the eggs onto a plate. Akefia breathed, trying to shake the dream off, but it didn't work as her body lingered closer to his, moving around him to the fridge to grab butter for her toast.

"Have fun in town yesterday?" Akefia asked, and almost slapped himself as her head whipped around in shock.

"I suppose..."Her voice sounded surprised and strained as she answered. He looked down to his news paper on the table, ignoring eye contact. He almost felt every heart beat she had, and was very aware of her presence as he sat at the table across from her.

She started eating, and Akefia sighed, getting up and making himself a plate, listening to her every breath.

As he sat down, she stretched and her feet gently brushed Akefia's making him look at her, just as her eyes looked up to him, and she quickly got up in a hurry, looking fearful that he wold get angry.

He sighed as he felt the room lighten up, the weight of the dream lifting off his brain, and he sighed. Breathing carefully, he looked around the room, and ran to Melvin's room, stopping at the door for a second, and turned around. He couldn't tell Melvin, he was Melvin's boss! Something like this would make it look like Melvin was in charge instead of him, when really, only he and Melvin understood and remembered the most from when the last test female was here.

Before he could take a step away from the door, it opened, and Melvin leaned against the door frame.

"Yes?" He said, crossing his arms in a sleepy way, yawning.

"Nothing, just wanted to make sure you were awake." Akefia said, and started a step away from the room. A hand fell on his shoulder, pulling him into the room, and Melvin shut the door behind him.

"I know you well enough Akefia. We grew up together-"

"I know, I know. I just feel a little ridiculous asking you for help when I'm 'in charge'."

"Well suck it up, we all have to swallow our pride sometimes. We all have problems. What's the matter?" Akefia smiled at Melvin, both of them knowing no one could hear them. Being childhood friends, they knew each other better then anyone else, so things like Melvin's rashness was allowed when they were alone.

"A dream..." Akefia said, sitting down on Melvin's bed.

"A dream? Akefia, you of all people should not be so shaken-"

"I'm not shaken by it..."Akefia sighed, and Melvin looked him up and down.

"I've never seen you like this before...What kind of dream?"

Tamara ran into the living room, praying she hadn't pissed Akefia off.

But there, sitting on the couch, was Marik and Bakura. Marik turned to her and she half smiled, walking over.

"What are you watching?"The TV clicked off, and Bakura looked to her.

"Right now? We're going to ask you to fly." She gave them a surprised look, and Marik sighed.

"I told you she wouldn't do it..."He mumbled, and Bakura shot him a glare.

"She didn't say anything..."

"And that means no."

"No it doesn't, it just means..."He turned back to Tamara, ignoring his friend, and stood up.

"You...Want me to fly?"

"In your Phoenix form, yes. I didn't get to see it, and Melvin rarely ever flies...So we never get to see. And as you know, we don't have anyone else who's mixed DNA with anything. So, could you show me you flying?" She laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Right, no." She said, and Bakura's shoulders sank, while Marik sighed.

"I told you-"

"Shut up!" Bakura yelled, and Ryou came into the room, spotting Tamara and smiling down at her.

"Hey...Uhm...Could you come here for a moment?" He asked, walking into the hallway and outside. Tamara carefully followed, and stayed close to the door as Ryou turned to her, looking down nervously.

"What?" Tamara asked, and cleaned her nails, waiting.

"I kind of got interrupted the other day...I never got to ask..."

"Ask about what?"

"Well...About your past..." She lowered her eyelids, an almost glare, that pierced Ryou's soul.

"What about my past?" She said in a deathly quiet tone, one that Akefia sometimes got when he was really angry, but Tamara just seemed cautious.

"Well...Did...uh...did you have anyone in your past?"

"Anyone?"

"Yeah, like family, friends...Boyfriends..."Ryou bit his lip and looked down at her carefully, and she glared up at him.

"Pathetic." She scuffed and turned on her heels, going back in the building and running into Akefia.

"OOF!" She exclaimed, falling down, but she was caught by Akefia, who quickly then stopped touching her, and continued on his way.

"Well excuse you!" It slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it, and he turned, eyes ablaze with anger. She gulped as he walked back to her, and muttered two words.

"My. Office." She sighed, and hung her head as she followed Akefia, slowly turning her head to Marik and Bakura.

"You didn't even do anything to get her in trouble..."Marik exclaimed in surprised and Bakura laughed.

"Cause I told you, she does it all by herself. She's got that bad way with him." He laughed, shooting her a glare as the door closed behind her, and she walked to Akefia's desk, sitting before it.

He looked to her, and she looked to him, a stare down between boss and employee. He sighed, closing his eyes, and finally leaned forward, looking to her eyes directly, striking immediate fear.

"Tamara..."He said, something in his voice had a hint of sweetness, something sounding like honey tasted, and it spun Tamara's head. What was different? Wasn't he mad at her for being 'disrespectful'?

She gulped, but looked back to his eyes, waiting.

"Yes?" She said finally, and he stood up, walking behind her. She didn't look to him, and sat there, feeling his very presence so close, her breath quickening. She finally looked to him, but his face wasn't turned to her, and instead, looked to the wall, something she'd never seen Akefia do.

"Look, I'm sorry, it slipped out." She took the time he didn't speak to slip in an apology. He half smiled, a noise coming from his lips that Tamara didn't catch. He then looked to her, eyes calm and soft, looking at her in an almost caring way it seemed, admiration.

"Tamara..." Her name escaped her lips and she blinked, feeling something she hadn't noticed or felt before. It felt like she wanted to hold him, but yet, she knew that was wrong, considering her was her boss. What was it, caring? She didn't know...

She found herself standing, and Akefia turned her so he could look at her shoulders.

"These are Phoenix marks..."He said, gently touching them.

"There are some other marks I found as well...Under my hair line..." She said, and as Akefia moved hi hands to her hair to brush it aside just as she did, their hands touched.

A shook rang through them, leaving their skin with a buzzing feeling that ran trough their bodies. She quickly moved her hands away, and he swept the rest of her hair over her shoulder, carefully examining the mark.

"Interesting..."He murmured, lightly tracing it. Every time he touched her body gave her this surge that wanted to reach out for him, an aching feeling, but Tamara knew better then to listen to it, and as Akefia's hands moved her hair back, he turned her around, and smiled.

The attraction buzzed through the small space between them, and Akefia stepped closer, bending his head down slowly, looking from her eyes to her lips, and gently kissing her like the way he did in his dream. His eyes drifted shut slowly, enjoying the soft touch and feel of her skin, the slight contact with their lips.

A feeling of satisfaction and excitement rang in her veins, as Akefia's hands gently touched each side of her face, his fingertips running down her cheek bones to under her jaw, lightly touching her skin and tilting her head up. He pulled away, lightly breathing, but looked to her eyes, that lazily opened to meet his.

Both their eyes flew open, and they stepped away from each other, both looking away, Tamara blushing a bit and Akefia clearing his throat.

"So...Uh...don't...You...Mind your manners." He said quickly, his voice rushed to fill the silence and quickly bring something other then the feeling between them to the air.

"Right." She said, brushing past him, gently bumping his arm as it extended to her hand, lightly catching hers. She quickly turned to him, and his eyes pleaded.

"Don't..."

"I know..."She said, pulled her hand away, feeling the burn it brought where he touched her. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and Akefia turned back to his desk, shaking the daze off.

Tamara quickly went to her room, and laid down, her heart beating so fast.

"Get sent to your room?" Bakura's voice called from the shadows, and he stepped out in the light.

"Get out of my room." She hissed, hyped up on the adrenaline that was running through her. He laughed, and raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't even get you in trouble that time."

"I told you to-" She said, and he cut her off, suddenly both of them pushed against the wall.

"I know..."He sighed, studying the marks on her neck.

"BACK. AWAY." She warned, and he chuckled, not listening.

She felt her skin start to heat up, and brought a hand to his neck, her marks practically ripping open with fire.

"I TOLD YOU TO BACK AWAY." She spat acidic, and he nodded, his neck feeling the heat, and he tired not to touch her skin, afraid he'd be burning even worse.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry.." He begged, and she dropped him just in time for Melvin to come in and catch him, throwing him against the wall into the hall.

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER AGAIN." Melvin growled, and Bakura's body faded into a gremlins. Tamara stepped back, and watched as the gremlin was devoured by Melvin, who had the same eye as before out. He turned to her, and changed back to his normal form.

"Gremlins...They enjoy female blood better then males." He said, and bowed his head, looking ashamed.

"Thank you..."She murmured, in shock.

"You seemed to have it under control..."

"What do gremlins do exactly?" She asked, her brain out of whack. Melvin smiled, chuckled quietly, but looked to Tamara's eyes, and spoke.

"They live in forests and wreak havoc on people for fun and food. It's been a while since they've been near here, and they are almost extinct. They serve no purpose." His voice rang true, and almost something next to care for Tamara.

"Oh..."She looked down, and a hand gently touched her arm, calling her attention, then dropped back down to Melvin's body.

"Don't...Don't feel like that...Alright?"

"What?" She asked in shock, and he half smiled, turning away with his yellow eyes, saying so much more then he could with words. He disappeared into his room, and she stood there, her heart beating faster then ever.

She quickly went to lay down before she could fall to the floor, and closed her eyes. She needed to think, to clear her head. And sleep was a struggled with her troubled mind.

_**A/N: Scandal! Well, not really. New points to some characters, and a little deeper look to some of their pasts.**_

_**And perhaps, a few stretched truths?**_

_**You all now you love my cliffhangers, but don't be afraid to read and review!**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters belong to their creators, but I own Tamara and the Dark Side of the Moon world.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Game Play**

Akefia shook his head, trying to clear it. Nothing worked, and he wanted to march into her room, but he refrained. It was just an awkward moment gone wrong, and something entirely inappropriate for his position. But something between them was there, and he couldn't just leave it like that. Could it be the fact she was like the last one? In looks, perhaps there was a small resemblance, but there was something else to, she couldn't have come back like this, she wouldn't accept something like this.

And that was where the similarities ended, the difference's continued on endlessly it seemed. Tamara was forward and rash, liked to go with the more physical and verbal solution rather then the mental one. Tamara was more a act now think later, while the other was a think now, act later. Tamara was strong in way's the other was weak, and weak in ways the other was strong. But something was in Tamara that wasn't in the last one. Besides the Phoenix, Tamara had a spark of life, but yet found no reason really to live. But she lived, confusing herself for the reason why, but lived long enough and fought hard enough to be sent to Akefia and the Dark Moon.

He chuckled at the thought, and walked out of his office, passing by her room for just a second. The door was shut, and all was silently dark on the inside. It was too soon to say anything, and Akefia resisted the urge to go into her room to speak with her.

Melvin watched him carefully, making sure he passed by the room instead of going inside it, and once Akefia shut the door to his room, Melvin breathed once again. Slowly creeping to the door, he slipped inside, and found a dark place under the bed to rest, protecting the one object for tonight. And as he listened to the sound of snoring, he sighed contently, listening for any other noises, finding none, and going to sleep.

Tamara awoke to a semi bright room, and sat up. Yawning, she stretched, and stood up, wiping her eyes of any more sleepiness.

Was yesterday a dream? Was it real? She shook at the tiny thought of Akefia kissing her, twiddling her fingers as she crept into the kitchen, revealing no one. She sighed, and walked to the fridge, searching through it and taking out the ingredients for french toast.

"Tamara..."She whipped around to find Melvin leaning against the door frame, arms crossed across his chest.

"Melvin..."She said, and a small smile came to his lips, as he walked closer to her, walking around her.

"You're jumpy today...Why?"

"Dream." She lied, her mouth going dry. The smile on his face disappeared, and his eyes pulled at the corners in suspicion and confusion.

"A dream? Everyone seems to be having dreams that strike their senses to a new peak..."

"Who else has had a weird dream?" She scuffed, and he pulled the corner of his lips to a line.

"Akefia." She tried to keep her eyes from widening, but failed with the pupils. Melvin examined the physical mark, and took a breath.

"Well, he's weird anyways." She tried to play it off, and Melvin laughed.

"Are the two connected, Tamara?"

"Hardly, I wouldn't be connected with his fucked up unconsciousness even if it meant a million dollars."

"Oh, really?" He asked, and folded his arms behind his back, circling around her.

He knew she had sleep fine, no dreams or anything. Something was wrong with her, and it had occurred when she awoke. Melvin knew, he had been there, watching for danger.

A monster under her bead indeed.

But she didn't know he had been there, didn't really know anything about Melvin other then they were two alike with their DNA.

"Really. Now will you let me finish cooking so I can eat?"

"Oh, don't let me stop you." He stepped aside, and walked towards the door, peering over his shoulder at the new pup, and smiling as he walked away.

He knocked on Akefia's door, and entered after an assurance that he was allowed in.

"Melvin?" Akefia sat up, and looked to him. Melvin looked down, then to Akefia's eyes directly.

"Master...What have you done?"

"Done? What do you mean?" He asked, showing no trace of guilt to any human eye, but Melvin knew him all too well.

"Akefia." He warned, his tone growing louder. Akefia sighed, and stood up.

"Don't raise your voice at me. And it wasn't my fault.."

"What have you done?"

"It was just a small nothing, it shouldn't be a problem." Akefia's voice rang alpha, and Melvin had to listen.

"Well, it's not a small nothing. Whatever happened between you and Tamara has put a spin on her mind." Akefia stopped, looking to Melvin.

"What?"

"Come and see what the very mention of your name does to her conscious." Melvin motioned a hand to the door, and Akefia walked ahead of Melvin, getting to the door to see Tamara cooking again. Melvin spoke up as Akefia watched Tamara.

"Good morning Akefia." Melvin's voice was loud, and Tamara tensed up, eyes shooting to the door, then back to her work. He listened to her breath spike a bit, and Melvin looked to Akefia, raising an eyebrow as if to say:

'See what I mean?'

"Good morning Melvin...Tamara." Akefia spoke up, and Tamara looked to Akefia, nodding.

"Yeah." She said, and Akefia smiled, loving what his very presence did to her brain, and loving the swirl her voice gave him. He walked over to her, purposely close to her. She moved away and he smiled to her.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked, taking out the juice. She looked to him, questioning.

"I guess." Akefia stretched his arm above her head to grab a glass. She shriveled away, and Melvin sighed, stepping in.

"Tamara, training is today."

"Again?" She whined, and Melvin nodded, smiling at her childishness. Her shoulders sank in disappointment, but nodded back.

"Alright.."She sighed, and Melvin looked to Akefia, who was busy enjoying the air of Tamara. He cleared his throat, and Akefia looked to Melvin, who motioned him away from the kitchen, but Akefia held up his index finger, looking to Tamara once more, speaking up.

"Tamara..."He coaxed his voice, and Tamara turned, to find Akefia closer then she'd thought. He breathed looking into her eyes, and ran his fingertips down her face gently, smiling. She blinked, and pulled away.

Akefia laughed, and turned to Melvin, who dragged him back to his room, and paced.

"What are you thinking?" He hissed, and Akefia sighed.

"Look, it won't get anywhere..."

"The hell it won't! I know you Akefia! This is already too far over your limit!"

"You don't have the right to tell me that, you can't yell at me, Melvin." Akefia stood up, looking into the eyes of his friend.

"I think it's time we revisit some memories of the last one." Melvin hissed, and Akefia glared.

"She's in the past."

"This looks like it's going the same way."

"It's not."

"Neither of us have forgotten about her, trust me." Melvin stood up to Akefia, and they both backed down.

"What about her?"

"Akefia, I know how you felt about her..."

"And?"

"Tamara is not Kyrah."

"I KNOW!" Akefia yelled, and Melvin continued.

"She's in the past, let this be. The don't look alike anymore, Kyrah changed, Akefia...Changed..."

"Changed?" Akefia stopped, and looked in wonder to Melvin.

"I went to go watch her...She's not the same Kyrah anymore, she went back to herself before here..."

"You went to watch her? Without my permission?"

"Akefia, yes. I did it because I was worried about you...I just wanted to reassure you...that she's not Kyrah anymore..." Akefia glared up to Melvin, and sighed, giving up and sitting down.

"How...?"He asked, looking up to Melvin. Melvin stretched his hand out to the air, and a small portal window appeared, showing their past memory, now in present time on earth. She was happily working in a kitchen, cooking and humming.

She was no longer a brunette, but blonde, her eyes a baby blue instead of the green they were such a time ago. Her bones had shifted back to a common human form, and her voice didn't ring the way it did when she was here.

Akefia fell to his knees, and gritted his teeth.

"That bitch..."

"She was rescued Akefia, there was no real way to stop something like this..."

"Hurry and teach Tamara, then assemble the team."

"Akefia you can't act on emotions right now-"

"I'm not. We do have a mission..."He sighed, getting up and moving back to the kitchen.

"Akefia..."Melvin called and Akefia turned, he spoke.

"We'll talk more later...Be careful with Tamara, although she's not Kyrah, she is a person..."

"Are you telling me not to play with her?"

"I'm telling you to not push it." Melvin smiled, and Akefia laughed, walking back.

Tamara breathed once more, and stared at the broken glass, her hand, and where the cut and blood should be...

"Tamara?" Akefia asked, rushing over.

She looked up, blinking innocently surprised. Akefia's arms found their way around her, picking her up and away from the glass, setting her back down on a chair.

"Akefia..."She said, looking to her hand again, in disbelief.

"What?" Akefia took her hand in his, examining it. His touch burned her skin, feeling much like the drugs she once took as a young teenager, heroine, when she was trying to find the slightest bit of excitement. Something to live for back then, but now, this was better, it gave her that jump that made her feel like she had a heart. The buzz that spun her head, the ache that called even when he appeared in the same room as her.

Ever since that stupid moment yesterday...

She sighed ignoring it, and spoke up, shock coming back as she looked to her hand.

"The glass...It broke, in my hand..I...I should be bleeding..." She murmured, and Akefia looked into her eyes, then to her hand.

"And it disappeared?"

"I'm not even sure if I got cut..I didn't notice the glass broke..."Akefia noticed how close he was to her, and backed away a bit. He nodded, and spoke up.

"It's the Phoenix..Are your marks hot-OW!" Akefia exclaimed, making the mistake of touching the marks and burning his fingertips. He pulled back on hand, but the other still held the bottom of hers, and she blushed a bit, remembering yesterday. Akefia looked back to her, surprised, but then amused.

"Tamara? Are you okay?" He asked, smiling at the blush on her face.

"I'm fine." She said, and brushed it off as he stood up, taking her other hand, and backing up, letting them both go.

"Alright, if you feel sick or if your hands hurt, come see me..." Her heart pounded away as he left the room, leaving her the air lighter so she could breathe.

She blinked a few times, and tried to shake the feeling she got around him, but nothing seemed to work as she found herself standing up and walking to Akefia's office. Her hands burned from his touch, and she looked down to see her hand splotched in red dots where the glass was being pushed out.

"Akefia..."She knocked, staring at her hand and the burning feeling.

"Tamara?"

"My hand..."She held it out to him, and he took it, smiling.

"It's just pushing out the glass Tamara..."He spoke with a sweet smile, and brushed the glass off her palm, kissing the blood away. She pulled her hand away, and he raised an eyebrow, standing up.

"Well, You're fine now, go see Melvin for training. You have to learn how to fight as soon as possible, we have a mission." He said, and she nodded, leaving immediately.

When out of his presence and eyes, she fell apart, hyperventilating and gasping for air. She finally was able to breathe, and think clearly without all the cloudiness.

She marched outside into the courtyard, meeting Melvin and the others.

"Good, everyone's here."

"Except Akefia..." Bakura scuffed.

"He doesn't need to train." Melvin shook his head, and turned to Tamara.

"We have to train you. Ryou will take you first."

"Ryou?" She turned to Ryou, who gave a half wave, a shy and apologetic smile, stepping forward.

"Hello."

"He fights? Would you break him in half like a twig?" She scuffed, turning to Melvin, throwing Ryou the insult. Ryou's shoulders sank, and he sighed.

"More or less, why don't you try and tackle him?" Melvin questioned, and Tamara smirked, this would be easy.

Or so she thought.

As she lunged forward, Ryou moved to the side, simply stepping once, and his hands moved quickly, pressing certain points on her neck and back, paralyzing her.

"Hey! I can't move!" She snapped, looking up to all of them. Ryou kneeled down to her head, sitting on his knees.

"I'm more a last stand, I normally don't fight unless I have to, in dire situations."

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?" She spat, and he smiled, laughing a bit and pressing under her ear and some more places on her neck.

"The medic." She regained movement, and as he extended a hand to help her up, she tackled him.

"Pinned." She laughed, and looked to Melvin, who raised his eyebrows only slightly.

"Ryou, don't forget to always be on your guard. She just pinned you." He looked to Marik, as Tamara stood up, ready for the next one.

Marik stepped forward, eyes shifty and piercing, focused and ready.

"Make your move." He said, his voice taking on a darker tone.

Instead of letting him have a move that could send her in who knows what stage, she lunged forward, almost hitting him, but stepping to the side as he brought a dagger to where she would have stood.

He laughed once, turning in a 360 quickly, cutting her across her stomach. She looked down, clutching her stomach, looking at the blood on her fingers.

"Don't leave your guard down!" Melvin yelled as Marik jumped up, falling down to Tamara, the daggers landing around her body and head.

"Never stop moving." Marik said, in a lighter, but drier, tone. Tamara scuffed, but got back up.

"Tamara, you'll heal soon enough, but take his advice, never stop moving." She looked to Melvin and nodded once.

She laid on the orange grass, looking to the purple sky.

"Alright, get back up, time to face him again."

"Again?"

"Yes, now get up." She huffed, but stood up, prepping for battle again.

He stood at a ready position, and this time, lunged at her.

She tried to successfully move to the side, but ended up tripping to the side as he tumbled to the ground, summer salting a few feet away, and quickly running back to her position.

She quickly threw her hands out to him, feeling her skin burn up into flames as she thrust herself into the air, half Phoenix and half human.

Her shoulder marks of wings had turned into real wings, red and ablaze with red fire, her other marks following the lead of the red theme. She smirked, and put her hands together, diving straight for Marik, who held up his daggers, taking a leap to her. She just missed him with her wings, as he landed back to the ground, throwing the daggers instead.

"That's enough, this is already unfair enough." Melvin cut in, stopping Marik and looking up to Tamara.

"About time you said something, he has knives!"

"And you have fire, now get down."

"Why?"

"Because I told you to." He said, glaring at her, and she landed, quite roughly, but managed to stumble on her own two feet.

"Alright, Marik, you went a little too far, she's not a complete target."

"COMPLETE?"

"Hush now, I'm talking." Melvin snapped at her, and she glared, getting a worse glare from him.

"Right, I'm just trying to help her train."

"Like a match, back at the town fight club."

"Yes sir." He nodded, and looked to Tamara, looking down.

"I apologize."

"Doesn't change the fact you tried to kill me!"

"YOU TRIED TO LIGHT ME ON FIRE WITH YOUR WINGS!" He yelled back, and she noticed the scorch marks on his arms and shirt.

"YOU WERE TRYINGTO KILL ME!"

"BOTH OF YOU STOP IT!." They all turned to face Akefia, who sighed in anger.

"Boss..."The men said in unison, Tamara said nothing, and looked on to the cause of her fuzziness.

"You should split them up for a while, Melvin. You can't battle them twice in a row."

"Yes sir, Marik, take a break." Marik nodded, and sat next to Ryou on the grass, leaving Bakura standing.

"Bakura..." Melvin motioned a spot a few feet in front of Tamara, and he walked to it, crossing his arms.

"Right." He looked into Tamara's eyes, intently glaring. She didn't say anything, and glared back, grinding her teeth.

"Begin already." He hissed at her, and she rolled her eyes, looking at him, moving in a circular path around his tall and rough body.

"Why don't you move?" She spat back, and before a response was formed in his lips, she jumped off the ground, launching herself into the air and pouncing her feet off his back, plowing him to the ground.

The force she pushed on Bakura, sent her higher in the air, and as she dived back down, he grabbed her ankle, throwing her down to the ground.

"DON'T LIKE IT, NOW DO YA?" He yelled, muddy now.

She turned around, flaming the marks on her ankle to make him release his hand in pain.

He didn't.

In stead, he laughed and smiled,a crazy look in his eye.

"I can take pain unlike most people." He laughed, and she smiled back, her eyebrows darting down in an evil way.

"Alright then." She flew up into the air, with his hand still around her ankle. She looped around in circles, darting quickly and taking sharp angles in the sky, shaking him off.

Nothing seemed to work, and as a last resort, she stopped flying, letting them both fall to the ground at the same pace.

"You're going to hurt both of us!" He yelled at her, and she smiled deviously, but he held on tight.

They approached the ground faster from their thousand feet in the air position, and Bakura looked to her, slightly scared.

"This will KILL us! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" He yelled, his hair flying up as if it was trying to escape his head.

Tamara only started laughing like a villain, only taking action right as they were inches from the ground, and flying back up to the sky, yanking Bakura's arm right out of place, causing him to let go in pain.

He fell, and rubbed his shoulder, his face twisted in pain.

Tamara laughed once, diving back to the ground before anyone else could get to him, and tackling him.

"Pinned." She laughed, and he coughed up a tiny amount of blood, her force from air pounding his chest a bit.

"Tamara! That's enough!" Melvin yelled, and Tamara looked to him.

"He's fine."

"I don't think so...You might have broken his shoulder... With that stupid stunt you pulled!"Akefia yelled and glared at her, looking to Ryou who was already helping Bakura.

"Ouch..."Bakura said and Ryou gave him a similar pill to the one he gave Tamara not too long before.

"You're an idiot, you know that, right?" Akefia scolded Tamara in his office after Bakura had been taken to his bed.

"It was training! How else am I supposed to learn? What if that actually happened in a battle?" She challenged back, standing up for herself.

Bad choice.

He stood up, and grabbed her arms tightly, pinning them to her body and pushing her into a wall, glaring at her with full anger and grinding teeth.

"YOU HURT HIM!"

"HE WAS GOING TO HURT ME!"

"IT WAS PART OF TRAINING!"

"EXACTLY!" He blinked, closing his eyes and releasing her. He pinched the bridge of his nose, and as she rubbed her arms, he spoke again.

"Tamara, you seriously hurt him. Once you got him to let go, you won. That was the end."

"Well no one told me that! I was told to tackle them!"

"You were told to tackle RYOU. Because YOU challenged HIM."

"WELL NO ONE MADE THAT CLEAR! YOU HSOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFOREHAND!"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE YOU USED YOUR DAMN BRAIN!" He yelled back, and she scuffed, spitting at his feet.

He stopped for a minute, surprised, but then laughed once.

"YOU. DIDN'T." He said, looking to her with a laugh and an angry smile.

She gulped, and bit her lip, the fuzziness clouding her mind again.

She grew tired of this feeling and finally decided to just sink into it, and as he yelled at her about how that was disrespectful, and how...

She wasn't even listening anymore, as she started at him, in wonder. What was this? Why did her brain and body turn almost completely upside down when he was around? Why did her stomach fly up up and away?

It was another answer she didn't know.

But the boy from before slipped into her mind again, causing a different emotion to flare up, anger. Hate. Disgust.

She hated him, with everything she had. He had a reason for deserving what happened, what he did was unthinkable but yet,

Predictable.

And she didn't want to admit that, but it was true. She had been a gullable fool once, and she didn't want that again.

She stormed out of the office, running outside for fresh air, fresh something.

To get away, and as that thought ran through her head, she felt the air of the foreign world surround her. She leaped to the sky, stretching to it and grasping it as a gulf of flames came around her, sending her higher into the sky:

Fresh air.

_**A/n: I enjoyed writing this one a little more, back story to both hidden secrets, but still, what are they training for specifically? Who's this boy? Who's Kyrah? Where is Tamara going to go? Will she come back? Will there be training tomorrow? **_

_**A SQUARE IS A RECTANGLE?**_

_**I'll quit now, :p thanks for reading this chapter, and if you'd be so kind to R&R, that'd be amazing! :D**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters belong to their creators, Tamara and the Dark side of the Moon belongs to me.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six: Rule's of the game.**

And like that, she ran out. Akefia wasn't sure if it was in fear or if she just felt the need to get away from him.

Both hurt.

But he shrugged that off, he needed to focus. She had run from a lecture,

a big no-no.

"Akefia!" Melvin came yelling, but Akefia ran past him, out towards where the scorched footprints on the ground led to.

"Tamara!" He yelled to the sky, but only his echo called back to him.

"Akefia, calm down..."

"Melvin she ran from a lecture..."

"You most likely scared her..."

"Well it's still not acceptable!"

"Keep calm!" Akefia ignored Melvin and took a running leap to where he smelled smoke, going full form.

Melvin sighed as Akefia took off, running after both of them.

As soon as he was in the sky, he saw Akefia land, and take another leap to the sky. He quickly flew over and grabbed Akefia, pinning him to the ground.

"AKEFIA!" He screamed at him, and Akefia's gray eyes looked to him, furious.

"LET ME GO." He commanded, but Melvin held his ground.

"You'll kill her if you go after her like this."

"WELL WE CAN'T LET HER GET AWAY!"

"She doesn't know this place, she'll come back. Besides she owes us, so she HAS to come back or be turned in." Akefia's eyes returned to normal, and he sighed.

"I just don't want the same thing that happened to Kyrah..."

"Her names not Kyrah anymore, but neither do I... You forget how I felt as well."

"I haven't forgotten...I just don't...I don't want to lose this one..."

"We won't...That spark in her that you rambled on about...It shows she won't."

"We don't know what it shows."

"Exactly, so have faith in something for once."

"Well, I don't have much faith left to put in Melvin."

"I understand tat, but scramble some up and find out how. I'm going to go find her, you go back." Akefia looked to him, knowing it was an order for his better health, not an order of their work.

Melvin leap off into the sky, searching for Tamra. When he caught a scent in a nearby cave, he landed, and called out.

"Tamara?"

A pair of eyes shown in the shadow, red and yellow.

"GO AWAY!" she screamed and he sighed, looking to the dark, pulling her out.

"I came to take you home." He motioned back behind him.

"No, if I go back he's going to yell at me more, he sounds so ignorant and stupid when he does." She scuffed.

"Then why did you run? It's not like the big bad Tamara to run away from something like that." Melvin smiled, baring his teeth in a playful way.

"I didn't run, I just simply left because I was bored." She crossed her arms, anger in her eyes. Melvin took a step forward, looking down to her in an all knowing way.

"I saw you run, and I calmed down Akefia from chasing you down and doing much worse then yelling." Her heart beat one last time freezing as she stopped and though about that. What did he mean with that? He couldn't have meant something vulgar...Could he? Did he know...?

"And what's that?" She sighed, shifting her weight on her right leg.

"Oh, wouldn't you know?" Melvin teased, and watched her as he saw his words sink into her mind and soul.

She snapped out of her thoughts, and she bolted for the cave entrance, getting ready to transform as soon as she hit the edge.

A moment too late as she jumped, plummeting down to the ground far below.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, too panicked to transform, and from above, Melvin swooped down, grabbing her arms and flying to ground safely.

He hat gray bat wings, and his eyes were red, glowing. As he shifted back to normal, he looked to her, raising an eyebrow.

"Forgot how to fly?"

"No! Just a late timing."

"You still need more training. Now come back."

"No. Make me."

"If it's going to be that way..." He sighed, and she jumped away from his grasp, running into the forest without a second look behind her.

It seemed all to familiar as she noticed the trees and scenery whipping by her, the sound of Melvin's footsteps behind hers fading.

Had she out run him? Or had he changed his form?

She looked behind her to find him out of sight and gone, just as she looked to the sky:

To find it sky blue.

Tamara stopped, looking around to the dark green trees, yellow sunshine shining through the nets of the leaves, a humid temperature setting in.

Where was she?

Was this one of Melvin's tricks? It couldn't be, he couldn't do this...Could he?

Tamara breathed, and took a step forward, into a clearing.

One she recognized all too well. She gasped as she quickly darted back into the shadows, looking at the upcoming hikers ahead, walking the path she used to as well, except at night.

"It's a beautiful day..."The girl said, as the boy next to her came closer into view, making Tamara grind her teeth and glare.

It was him.

"Yeah, isn't it?"He said, looking into her eyes with a smile bringing out his dimples. She giggled and he pulled the girl closer, sliding his hands in her back pockets.

"Chase!" The girl giggled louder, and Tamara's marks started to flare up.

She wanted to transform and kill them both. Chase for what he did, and the girl for just being there. Tamara wanted to kill the whole town. Picking his side when they didn't even know the whole story, asking why, again and again, over and over, endlessly.

Tamara lost it, and she grew wings, that started to catch flame as her marks covered her body in fire, sending it to her wings and pouring out of her marks. She laughed under her breathed, her feet scorching the ground as she walked towards the unsuspecting couple, evil grin reaching her eyes with enjoyment of just thinking how to murder them.

She'd start with the girl, just to watch him cry. She'd kill her slowly, cutting into each vein she could see and find, burning her blood to a boil, watching the fear in her eyes as she cried, for help and him to help. But Tamara would have fended him off with binding him in the ground, remembering the pressure points Ryou used on her. She would listen to his screams with absolute glee in his pain.

And after the girl was dead, the stupid broad with black hair and green eyes, she'd walk to him. Speaking in a slow, quiet voice. Saying the things she remembered only like it was yesterday, the words she reminded herself she would say to him the day this time came. She didn't get to say them last time, she hadn't planned on running into him last time at all, and by the time she was about to, the towns people came.

She'd stroke his bangs out of his face, his brown hair smooth and shinny from all the hair product he used on it. Then before he could scream again, she'd put her hand to his throat, burning it with a smile as his vocal cords and esophagus burnt to a crisp. Finally her turn to speak, not his. He wouldn't mutter a word, unlike all those years she was cut off by him.

All those years he silenced her.

She wouldn't let what happened to her happen again, no never.

And while he cried sad tears of whichever he was no longer able to express in voice, she'd smile with the satisfaction running through her veins, and finally go to kill him slowly, ripping him open and burning his organs one by one, the lungs and heart last as she looked to his eyes one last time to see the fear, pain, regret and hate in his eyes.

And then she'd tear out his heart his heart, ripping it to shreds. Just as a metaphorical symbolism with what he did to her inside her head, all those things he said that stuck for years. She wold debated eating the pieces, but would decide on not wanting any part of him inside her, then to leave no evidence, burn everything. She's be satisfied then, happy, content. She could go back to the Dark Side of the Moon with absolute glee.

Right as she reached the edge of the clearing and the shadows to continue her inside head fantasy, She was pulled back into the shadows, her wings and marks receding back to normal. There was a fuss with the brush noise, and the person behind her slipped a hand over her mouth, the other grabbing her arms, their legs pinning hers down.

They couple looked back over to where they were, and Chase took a step forward, looking into the shadows and the scorched trees.

"Chase?" The girl called, taking a step forward.

"Heather, stay there. Some idiot burned the trees..." He scuffed, and Tamara ground her teethe again, trying to break free but finding it hard to move at all. Chase walked back to the girl, and they left in a hurry.

Tamara was let go by the person that held her back, and as she whipped around to start screaming obscurities at them, she looked up to Bakura.

"Watch where you're running. You almost hit the human world..."

"I KNOW! I WAS GOING TO KILL HIM!" She screamed, and he pulled her back to dark edge of the forest, everything forming to the Dark Side again.

"Well, don't. Akefia would kill YOU for that."

"Maybe he should!" She spat, and Bakura raised an eyebrow, bending his neck down to look into her eyes.

"MAYBE HE WILL. He'd sure as hell save me a lot of trouble." He pulled away, muttering.

"I thought your shoulder was out of place. "Tamara crossed her arms and glared.

"It was, but Ryou popped it back into place." His words were like acid, and he let them seep into her ears.

"Well, whoop de doo." Tamara scuffed, and Bakura spoke up.

"Why'd you want to kill them anyways? What was so special about them?"

"Nothing."

"It must have been something by how happy you looked just thinking of how to kill them."

"How do you know that?"

"I walk that walk too doll face." He smiled, and winked.

"Whatever."

"So what was so special about them? Trying to kill me wasn't enough?" He chuckled, walking with her to the facility.

"People from my past." Tamara left it at that, but Bakura didn't.

"And?"

"And nothing else."

"Oh come on, it's not like I'm going to go and tell someone. Marik wouldn't care anyways, I'm not really friends with Ryou, Akefia's my boss and yells at me most of the time, and Melvin's Melvin. If anything, I'm the only one you can trust."

"The fact that you even say that tells me I can't. I've played this game too many times before. No one can be trusted." Tamara sighed, dropping her angry posture and remembering the past with Chase.

She hated him even more, but still found sadness and pity for herself.

"Why the long face? The angry game is fun with you." Bakura nudged her elbow, but she turned and walked off.

"Hey, don't try to run again-"

"I'm not. I'm just going to go take a walk..."

"I have to come with you then..." Tamara glared, but he held up his palms to her in a non intrusive way.

"Akefia's orders. It's not like I want to get you into trouble."

"Hasn't stopped you before."

"That was before."

"Before I had a past you wanted to know?"

"You've got me down to a science already." He smiled a toothy smile, and she sighed, giving a slight smile.

"You're cliché and naïve...You're easy to read and figure out."

"Say's you."

"And everyone else." Tamara poked fun back, and Bakura laughed.

"All to well, but there's not much to me."

"Don't get all Dr. Phil on me." She slapped her forehead, annoyed.

"Who's Dr. Phil?"

Later, Bakura ended up taking Tamara back when Melvin found them.

"THE HUMAN WORLD?" Melvin exploded when Bakura told him where he found Tamra.

"Yeah, why?"

"Akefia's going to kill me..."

"Why?" Tamara asked.

"No one is supposed to go back there..."

"At all...?" Tamara asked, rethinking her plan to kill Chase and Heather.

She'd find a way back to finish what should have been finished a long time ago.

"AT ALL. ESPECIALLY NOT YOU."

"Hey, I told her not to go running into the human world."

"YOU DIDN'T SAY A DAMN THING AND DIDN'T FIND ME UNTIL I WAS ABOUT TO KILL THEM!" Tamara yelled at Bakura, and they bickered back and forth.

Melvin eyed the two carefully, watching the spark between them light up with each hateful word, and smiled.

The pictures of Kyrah flashed behind his eyelids, and he looked to Tamara, the smile fading.

"That's enough." He spoke up, and both their eyes flickered to him, silencing and looking away.

They walked to Akefia's office, and as they entered, Akefia turned around, expectant.

"Where. Have. You. BEEN?" His voice was deathly quiet, and their heads hung low, Melvin speaking up.

"Akefia, would you allow me to explain?"Melvin asked.

"Why should I? First, I have matters that deal with Tamara. Leave us." Melvin and Bakura left in a hurry, dashing out to the hallway.

Ryou and Marik came forth as soon as the door shut behind Melvin and Bakura.

"What happened?" Marik asked first.

"She ran away fro ma lecture..."

"She must have done something else, I mean, Bakura's walked out of a lecture and never got that kind of punishment..." Ryou whispered as they heard Akefia's voice raise up again. They winced in unison, feeling pity for Tamara.

"Well, she also made it into the human world...By herself." Glances were shared across the room, as they waited for what would happen next.

"You don't think that they'll..." Ryou let that sink in, they all knew what he meant.

"No, I don't think so...But Bakura...You siad she found..."

"Two people in her past...She just happened to walk to where they were...She has unfinished business there..."

"That's a bad thing...She can never go back...They think she's dead."

"And it has been years in that world as well..."

"I don't think anyone would suspect it was her..."

"Knowing that town, she'd be the only explanation..."

"They'd sooner believe that a crazy ax killer came and murdered them then believe that she raised from the dead." Mairk added, he had studied the town out of curiosity.

"She might write something in their blood knowing her. She doesn't even know what we DO in this group..."Bakura scuffed.

"Yes, she's got a lot to learn, but she has potential. She could very well be a key element in our goal."

"And what's that again?"Bakura joked.

"Something Akefia forgets." Melvin sighed, leaning back in his chair

"Why does he take it so hard on her anyways?" Marik rolled his eyes, his bosses actions on him mind in wonder.

"He see's something in her?"Ryou offered.

"He's got it bad for her, can't you tell?" Bakura smiled as Melvin hit him over the head.

"I think he want's to avoid another Kyrah..."Melvin sighed, and the name left the room in silence as they all remembered. She had been someone of interest here, but something very unwelcome this time around.

"So putting her under strict rule solves that? Looks like it would more cause it..."Bakura's voice mumbled, and Marik spoke up.

"With putting her like that, and with unfinished business in the human world, it's useless...They could come at any moment..."

"No, they can't. They didn't call her, it's just somethings she left untied."

"I wonder what she had to do with him...A brother?"

"Maybe a boyfriend?"

"No, it wasn't that. She got all mad and called me pathetic when I asked that-"

"Like anyone would date her." Bakura laughed, and Melvin hit him again.

"Don't say that because you may be number two on her list."

"I don't want any number on her dating list except zero." Bakura fired back, and they all smiled.

"But how do you know she wasn't hiding it?" Mari asked and Ryou smiled.

"The air of truth."

"That actually works?"

"Yeah, along with the heal pill. It heals all physical damage, inside and out, but you still need rest."

"You're something Ryou...You should have been a doctor if you didn't come here."

"I didn't come, remember?"

"None of us did."

"But it makes you wonder..."

"What?"

"How did Akefia get here? He was here before all of us..."

"It's a mystery we will never know."

"Yeah...Then why did Kyrah come?"

"Who knows?" Melvin sipped his coffee, tipping his head back.

"How does a person get saved exactly? If only certain people can came here?"

"You should ask Akefia." Melvin sighed, looking into the empty cup.

"He won't answer..."Ryou complained, and they all looked up to him.

"Neither will I."

"Then how did you get here?"

"That's a story for another time...I'm going to go 'save' Tamara from getting her ass smoked now, so run along." Melvin shooed them out of the kitchen, heading down to Akefia's office.

He knocked on the door once, and opened the door to receive a glare from a very irate Akefia, and a plea from Tamara.

Smoking her ass in the middle of July.

"Akefia..."

"What?"

"It wasn't her fault, she still needs more training."

"Training for spitting at my feet?" Akefia threw his head back in angry laughter, and Melvin gave Tamara a funny look who shrugged quickly, looking to Akefia with a sense of sadness and confusion.

He really had affected her, and Melvin sighed. Things were going to be messed up between them, and Melvin wasn't sure what would fix it.

"I'm sorry..."Tamara whispered, and both of the men in the room looked to her with shocked eyes.

"What...?" Akefia asked again, who bent down in front of her to look at her face, that was streaming with tears.

His hands reached for her face, taking it carefully, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. All traces of anger gone, shock and surprise replacing it.

"I'm...I'm...I'm s-sorry..." She repeated between sobs, and Akefia hugged her, standing them both up.

"It's okay, don't cry..."Akefia put her at arms length, and Melvin looked on at them with a blank face and silence.

"You never say sorry...You've never said it before...What happened in the clearing?"

"The clearing?" Akefia questioned, but Melvin ignored him, looking to Tamara.

"Nothing..."She looked down, moving out of Akefia's reach, and saying no more.

"The clearing?" Akefia asked again, and Melvin stepped toward Tamara, guiding her out the door to her room, letting her lie down.

He returned to Akefia's office, and sighed.

"You've altered your relationship with her completely...But she reached the human world...By herself."

"WHAT?" Akefia's voice was quick and panic filled.

"She has loose ends Akefia..."

"But it's already been YEARS there! She's supposed to be dead!"

"She can't be here with unfinished business there..."

"Where you there with her?"

"No, Bakura caught her in time to catch her."

"We need to find out what business she has there.."

"Bakura doesn't know except that it has to do with a boy and girl..."

"Great..."

"Akefia..."Melvin's voice was deep, and Akefia turned to Melvin, waiting.

"Yes?"

"What do you feel for Tamara?"

"Nothing, she's just an employee."

"Then why do you treat her differently?"

"She's a girl...If she cries, we're all gonna' pay." Melvin smiled, and looked down.

"Akefia...We are going to have to tell her exactly what it is we do here...On the Dark Side of the Moon..."

"I believe I touched briefly on that with her..."

"We need to clarify it...In order for her to understand the training."

"I'll see when...Right now..."

"I know...But just so you hear me again...You've changed your relationship with her...She's confused when she sees you now..."

"Isn't that part of the game?" Akefia smiled, and Melvin frowned.

"She's not a game, nor part of one...Don't treat her like Kyrah."

"I'm not, If Kyrah cried, I'd of let her cry."

"That's not what happened last time..."

"Oh shut up." Akefia muttered, and Melvin smiled, leaving his office.

He knocked on Tamara's door, opened it, and looked down to her, crawled up into a ball.

Shutting the door quietly, he crept over to her, sitting next to her and pulling her head on his knee.

"It's okay..."He soothed her, petting her hair.

_**Authors note: Not exactly sure where this is exactly going anymore XD I had an original plan, but now...It's a mystery to even me.**_

_**Eh, I'll just go with it XD I mean, it's sorta along the lines of the original, but with this Melvin and Tamara thing, not sure yet. **_

_**Well, all is well that ends well I suppose.**_

_**Read and review :D **_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters belong to the creators of it, and I own the Dark Side of the Moon world, along with Tamara, and this story.**_

_**I do not allow anyone to use anything I own**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven: Learning the Rules**

Tamara opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times to finally discover someone laying next to her.

She quickly sprang up to find a very asleep Melvin, and as she sat up staring in disbelief, he stirred.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Tamara nearly screamed, but lowered her voice. Melvin opened one eye, and spoke with a horse voice, low and deep.

"You were sad and crying, I didn't want to leave you like that. Besides, I'm not perverted. I didn't do anything." He yawned, and closed his eyes again.

She felt compelled to say 'thank you', but as well conflicted with saying 'get out'.

She decided on neither, and laid her head back down, surprised to find Melvin's body much longer then hers.

Melvin opened one eye again, watching as she laid her head back to the pillow they each had half of. He stretched, and listened to her breathing, finding satisfaction that she was watching him as he was watching her.

A thought came into his mind, and as he gently parted his eyelids, he found she was gently falling back to dream land, hopefully peacefully this time.

During the night, her sleep was flooded with tears, silent words that screamed in Melvin's ears. He held her close, secretly, almost crying with her. Her pain was too easily read, too easily similar, it made Melvin want to stroke her hair more for comfort. He worried Akefia was too hard on her, especially with how he had altered the relationship he had with her, he made her question everything she knew, and seeing her like she was before...Melvin knew she wasn't able to handle anything like that. With what she was hiding with the boy she had loose ends with, something was there, something that she didn't want to happen again.

"Tamara..."Melvin whispered, and she opened her eyes lazily, looking to him.

"Hmm?"

"Forgive me if this isn't the right time, nor my place at all to ask...But why were you crying?" Melvin disguised the question with a mask and air of something innocent. She was immediately more awake, and looked to the ceiling, rolling on her back, seeming to think back.

"I'm not exactly sure...It was all just a rush of bad things and emotions..."

"Everything has a reason..."Melvin tired again, not wanting to sound out of his normality. She didn't seem to notice, and instead sighed.

"It's a long story that was way back when..."

"We've got a long time before anyone else is up..." Melvin's eyes flickered to the window right above them on the ceiling, looking to the dark and deep purple sky with red stars above themselves.

"With this world, I have no clue what time is what."

"Just like the human world, just different colors...Right now it's about midnight..."

"We do have a lot of time then..." She mumbled, and Melvin bent his head down a little more to look at her.

"Here, come with me..."

"Where?" As he stood up and she looked to him, he turned and motioned toward the door.

"Come." she followed, and Melvin smiled. She was adorable at some moments, almost like a child.

In fact, she still was, compared to him. A simple fetus while he could have been a thousand year old dragon. Experience had aged him, but coming to this world made him ages old in human years.

As he led Tamara up to the roof, and brought her up into the night air, she looked all around to the vast, endless sky in wonder.

"Whoa...This place looks awesome at night..."She gaped, and Melvin smiled.

"You get used to the beauty, but you are new...You've been here a while, but never really saw the night, have you?"

"Nope." She finally looked up to him, and he walked to the edge, looking back to her.

He wore a smile Tamara had never seen with his cool and calm nature. No one ever talked about Melvin smiling in this way, let alone mention it.

"Want to see one of the best pleasures of flying?" He asked, reaching a long hand back to her, and as she took it carefully, he pulled them both off the edge, transforming into half demon, the gray wings coming back.

As she also changed to her form, her wings of fire spearing wide light in the purple sky.

The night air whipped her hair, blowing it back in locks of wonder, as if playing with it. Melvin watched in wonder, laughing to himself.

Her marks burned with delight, a favorite sensation to be let out.

"Wonderful, right?" Melvin asked and Tamara looked to him with molten eyes.

"How did you know about this?"

"It's the only real time I fly, well, before you came along in this world...lately you've got me flying left and right." He looked to her with an almost playful look, but she looked down ignoring a spiteful comment and apology.

"Well, what makes it this way?"

"The world itself. The Dark Side of the Moon is a wonderful place to be if you just sit back and look at it all. Sure there may be some huge bumps in the way things work...but you get used to it."

"How did you get here?" Melvin fell silent, before his past being said, he wanted hers.

"That's for another time, right now, enjoy this night air." He let it go, and flew to the top of the mountains.

"What's this?" She asked before landing, and as she looked to Melvin, she fumbled, missing the ledge and falling backwards.

Like the snap of fingers she was brought back up to the ledge, Melvin's wings carefully spread wide, his arms holding her at a forearms length.

"Careful..." His voice took on a hint of sweetness, and as he let go, turning as his wings folded back into him, she blinked a few times.

She looked down to her feet, and Melvin turned his head over his shoulder, speaking softly.

"Are you coming?" He whispered, nearing the edge of a dark forest.

"Where?" He fell into the shadows, yellow eyes gleaming in the dark, blinking slowly and calling her toward him.

"Fold your wings in, and take my hand." He held out a hand, the moon light brightly bouncing off it to show the contrast of the shadows.

As she reached for his hand, her wings falling in ashes, he pulled her into the darkness, leading her further into it.

She breathed a little uncertainly, letting him guide her through the shadows, not a noise other then their breathing, nothing in sight, and nothing but ground under their feet. Her hand felt heavy on his, with what seemed nothing ahead or behind her, she'd wondered where they were going.

"Melvin?" She whispered, and the footsteps stopped as she saw the yellow eyes ahead of her turn to look into hers, leaning down and coming closer.

"Yes?"

"Where are we going? We're in the middle of a dark forest, I don't think there's anything ahead."

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see." He turned back to the front, pulling her behind him.

"You don't know where we're going?"

"I know about as much as you do..." She couldn't see his smile in the dark, and Melvin took it in stride. He knew where they were going, she was just so much fun to play with.

He felt her hand on his, small, but not smooth. Her hand was rough, life hadn't treated her fair, life hadn't treated her at all. She more the ignored toy life didn't want, just like everyone here in the Dark Side. Melvin felt her hand squeeze his gently as they finally came to a sign of light, and he stopped, turning to her.

"Looks like we've gotten somewhere..."He moved behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders and pointing ahead, whispering in her ear.

"Want to go see what it is?"

"I already know what it is..."She said, and Melvin raised his eyebrows in surprise, a slight chuckle in his voice.

"Oh really, what is it?" He asked, and she turned around to him.

"It's light, which means we've walked through a forest." She turned back, and started toward it, Melvin on her heels.

She nearly ran to the light, and once she made it to the light, she looked around.

It was a spring, a tiny river with a little pool of water in the center, that didn't look very deep. Moonlight bounced off the tiny ripples in the water, caressing every blade of grass as the wind danced with them. She gaped a bit, turning to Melvin, who still lurked in the edge of the shadows.

"Aren't you coming?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and a smile.

Melvin didn't respond, but instead took a step forward, watching her carefully, eyes glowing like an alley cats.

He had taken on a gray skin tone, his hands stretched a little larger, fingernails now claws. Almost paw like, his feet took on the same shape, his ears pointy and teeth sharper then usual. His wings were out, the skin looking like tough leather, stretching over the bones and claws.

"When I'm here...I change a bit..." He spoke, and watched as she looked him over.

"You don't look so scary." She scuffed, and he smiled at her simplicity.

"You're not scared?"

"Why should I be?" She looked him in the eyes, and Melvin shook his head.

"Because you're in danger right now."

"How so? You won't hurt me."

"I'm much older then you, much more trained. My hands are blood stained with the blood of innocent people, the blood of many many, _many_ people." He took a step closer to her, peering down into her eyes and his hands just barely touching right above her elbows.

"Doesn't mean you'd hurt me."

"One wrong move and I could..."

"Don't try to be the bad boy here, we both know you're not. You probably just lied about all that." She scuffed, and Melvin frowned.

"I wouldn't lie about that."

"How can I know you aren't?" Melvin frowned, and walked behind Tamara, gently kneeling down next to the pool of water, dipping his hands in.

Tamara turned just as he took them out, showing them to her.

Where the water had touched, his hands were now stained red, blood dripping off his claws to the ground, only to be turned back to water by the touch of the grass.

"Blood stains my hands..."

"How did you do that?"

"It's the water of truth, it shows those who have done the worse in life, whether that be in blood or a vision."

Tamara looked at his hands, her hands reaching out to them, and as her fingers brushed his, he pulled them back, a slight hiss in his voice.

"Don't." He warned, and she looked to him, meeting his eyes.

"Why?" She hated the word, but she hadn't meant to say it, it just slipped out.

"It's just best..." He backed away into the shadows, yellow eyes watching hers.

"Who's to decide that?" She took a step towards the shadows, and the eyes looked down.

"It just is."

"Well I don't think so...So far I haven't been told much, but I can gather there's much more that I don't know going on. Fine, go ahead and leave me out of it. But don't pretend to be nice to me then just go and blow me off." She glared, and Melvin's heart sank. What did he wish to accomplish with all this? Even he didn't know, but he just said what came to mind, and unfortunately she had to see him, and a tiny peak into his past.

"Don't think that's what happened." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an embrace in the shadows. His eyes peered into hers, and he breathed, fighting back three options, going with the forth, letting her go.

"Think what? She spat, and he sighed, pulling her back into the moon light, walking near the pool of water.

"Alright, fine, you want to see what I mean? Fine." He jumped into the pool, what looked like it might have broken his ankle, but instead, swallowed him whole.

Melvin sank in the endless water, feeling it all around him, seeping into his pores and transforming him. This was a really bad idea, but he knew in order to have her believe him, it must be done.

His wings ripped out of his back, his eyes glowing red, his hands forming into stretched out paws, with long thick nails.

He was an animal, a demon, and as he grew horns, his tail grew long tiny little horns on the ends, almost spikes. His teeth grew sharper, and he let out a growl, looking up and launching above the warm water into the cold crisp air, high in the sky, right above the white moon.

He hovered there, twenty feet above the ground that Tamara looked up in wonder from.

"This. This is what I am. I am a demon, a monster...A born killer."

"How can you be a born killer when you were mixed with its DNA?" She asked, and he landed in front of her, now seven feet tall, and looked at her with a blank expression, almost scary, but she knew he was under control. As long as the eye wasn't shinning, she should be safe.

"Because, it's still born a killer. And being mixed with me, makes me a killer as well...Do you not see the blood dripping off my skin?" She averted her eyes from him for only a second, to quickly look down at his claws, the water turned to blood, dripping off quickly.

"What is this supposed to prove?"

"Why it's best not to touch me...You're still innocent."

"Innocent? Hardly, my innocence was taken...A long time ago..." Melvin raised his eyebrows, and sighed, forming back.

"I suppose that it's not something you want to say?"

"I'd prefer not to, but if you want to hear my story..."Melvin kept an indifferent face, his mouth a flat line as she looked up to him.

"Well don't look so uninterested. Akefia's been trying to get this out of me since I got here." She scuffed and looked down to her right.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable..."

"I'm going to be uncomfortable no matter when I talk about it. But first, I'm going to make you promise me one thing...And you MUST keep it, you can't tell anyone."

"Why would I tell someone?"

"Because you're Akefia's favorite. You could go and tell him...But I already trusted someone long before this, and they failed to meet the requirements of my trust..."

"That still wouldn't give me a reason...No matter what Akefia has done to you, he needs to earn your story himself." Melvin took a step closer to Tamara, and she nodded. She shivered at the mention of his name, her heart beating like a humming birds wing. Melvin noted this, and put a hand on her shoulder, making her look up to him in a flash.

"What has he done?" Tamara bit her lip, unsure whether or not to tell him or not. Akefia had mentioned not to tell anyone, but Melvin seemed a little more...understanding. Not to mention the only one who hasn't really pissed her off. When he almost killed her wasn't his fault either, and he hadn't tortured her like Akefia, but that was a part of Akefia's job.

But Ryou said he didn't normally do that, therefore, seeing something in Tamara.

Which earned Tamara a kiss later on.

She gulped, not knowing who to tell what. She didn't want to tell her past just yet, to anyone. No, she wasn't ready for that. But she didn't really want to tell him what happened between her and Akefia either.

Because she wasn't sure how she felt about him yet.

"Melvin...I want you to train me."

"What did he do to you?"

"Nothing, just train me. You of all people should know it would still be a little weird after he tortured me." She spat, and he nodded, accepting that.

"So you want me to train you? Right now?"

"Yes, I want to be as strong as Marik, Bakura, Ryou, Akefia and you."

"Quite a dream for one night."

"It'll take time, but I want it."

"So you're going form sad little girl being held by here against her will to wanting to be a part of us?"

"You could say that. Now train me."

"I can't train you like this...I'm almost near the eye point again..."

"You can try. What better way to defend myself then to actually fight for my life?"

"I don't want either of us dead."

"We won't push it that far, now just shut up and train me." She said, and her wings grew from what seemed to be air, burning bright, as she jumped to the sky, Melvin almost exactly on the same step.

"Fine, but I will find a way to stop if it gets too far." Melvin knew this was wrong, and bad, very very very bad, but she was right. What better way to train to fight for her life, then actually having to fight for her life?

Her story would have to wait for another time.

_**Authors Note: **_

_**I really enjoyed writing this one as well, but I love writing all my stories XD I guess its because I love the stories themselves, but anyways this chapter was a little more insight to Melvin and Tamara. Maybe this will be a thing between them? Even I'M not sure. But who knows? **_

_**Not me XD **_

_**Don't forget to Read and review :D**_

_**I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh characters, the people who created yu-gi-oh own them, but I own Tamara and the Dark Side of the Moon and this story. I do not allow anyone to use anything I own. **_

_**Song for Dark Side of the Moon:**_

_**Been to hell- Holly Wood Undead. (theme song)**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: What are Rules for?**

Melvin squinted, and looked up to the purple sky.

Almost eight a.m. He quickly sat up, still in the middle of the woods near the pool of water, but next to Tamara, who's wings were just ashes around her now.

They had trained almost all night, and when she finally was worn out, she had come far from where she was before. Now, at least, she could take on Melvin, not win, but be able to fight him.

He smiled, sitting by the edge of the pool water and looking down at the shallow water. It only worked with the light of the moon, at night, so now he could drink it.

Deciding against it, he turned his head back to an awaking Tamara, who yawned, sitting up.

"Huh?" She looked around, and Melvin coughed once.

"You're up." She turned around, and the ashes blew away a little bit in her quick turn.

"Oh...I forgot we were training."

"Don't worry, that was last night, no more training yet." He half smiled, and motioned her near the water.

She stood up, and walked near the water, sitting down next to him, looking into the pool of water.

"What?" She asked, and he stretched his hand out above the water.

"Put your hand in it."

"But won't it turn to blood?"

"We'll see." He nodded toward the water, and she stretched her hand out to the water, holding back and biting her lip.

"Are you sure?" She looked to Melvin's eyes carefully, and he gently reached out to her hand, taking it in his and putting both of them in the water.

Nothing happened.

"What?" Tamara looked in the water, putting her other hand in and pulling it out.

"It only works with moon light." Melvin let her hand go, his heart beating a few slow times happily.

He knew this emotion, he knew where things like this lead, but he did nothing to change it. What reason did he have to? Not one, not yet. Akefia may have done something with his relationship with her, and in this case, she accepted Melvin's comfort.

"Only in moon light?" She looked up to Melvin's eyes, and he nodded, swirling a finger in the water, creating ripples.

"Yes, that's when the Dark Side is at it's best, and that's how everything works here...When the worst and best come out..." His eyes poured into Tamara's, and he smiled, looking back to the water.

"Why?" She asked, big eyed and bushy tailed.

"Silly bird...Dark Side of the Moon?" Melvin patted her head, and chuckled.

"Oh...That's right..."She looked to the crystal clear water, and looked up to the sky.

"We should get going Tamara, they'll be wondering where we are..." Melvin stood up, looking to the orange trees around them.

"Okay, how do we get out of here? I don't remember which way..."

"We can fly now, it's daylight. But at night, you get lost trying to fly here. Magic of the Moon." Tamara smiled a little bit.

"Maybe this world is just messed up." She laughed, and Melvin shrugged.

"We all are, if we live here then." His wings stretched out, and he looked to the sky.

"Time to fly?"

"If you're not too tired." He joked, and jumped up to the sky.

Akefia paced in his office.

Where were they? What were they doing? Had Melvin...? No, he couldn't have. He was under control yesterday, and he couldn't kill Tamara.

Akefia sighed, and tried to breathe. He just had to relax.

There was a knock on the door, and his head shot up as they entered.

"Boss, they're here..." Marik poked his head in and looked down.

"Excellent." Akefia stood up, and brushed past Marik, walking angrily outside.

"WHERE WERE YOU?" Akefia screamed as they landed.

"Training sir." Melvin answered, same dry tone and face. Akefia relaxed a little bit, he could tell when Melvin was lying, and Melvin never lied.

Akefia looked to Tamara, who had a face of question, but still a little shaken from yesterday.

"Training? HA!"

"Akefia, we were training. I can take on Melvin now." She smiled brightly, and Melvin shrugged, lowering his eyelids.

"Doesn't mean you can win."

"Well I can try." She spat back at Melvin, and Akefia sighed, finally calm.

"Alright, well, that's a good thing. We've got a mission. Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Who?"  
>"This time the bounty is hefty."<p>

"What?"

"The pay for this person to be justified, is something we can't afford to miss. Especially with these past...Occurrences." His eyes flickered to Tamara, and she looked down, half hiding behind Melvin.

"Alright, where and who?"

"We'll get to that in the meeting tonight, but for now, I want you in my office." He said to Melvin, and he nodded, Looking to Tamara.

He didn't say anything with his words, but with his eyes he told her it was going to be okay.

She nodded, nearly running past Akefia to go to her room.

Akefia noted the glance between them, and ground his teeth, pulling Melvin into his office.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"

"What?"

"THAT GLANCE AND NOD!"

"Akefia, you're over reading something so small. You're getting paranoid. You know it was nothing, you just wish it was something for you to feel in charge with."

"Don't talk to me like that. I AM YOUR BOSS!"

"And I am your friend! Akefia, yesterday, you were a monster...And then you leave her like that..."  
>"You said so yourself, SHE'S NOT KYRAH."<p>

"I KNOW SHE'S NOT, AND I'M TRYING TO GET YOU TO REALIZE THAT AS WELL!"Melvin yelled back. He knew this was where he had to stand up for Tamara, otherwise she's be the number one person Akefia would take things out on.

"Well, if you can't already tell, it's starting out to be just like that..."

"And you don't want it to?"

"Yes, and...and no. I'm so confused right now..."

"So is she, you've seen what happens to her."

"Exactly...That's why I won't be on the next mission...You're running it."

"Me?" Melvin's eyes widened.

"Yes, you. I need time away from her, I need time alone."

"Akefia, even with Kyrah you never..."

"I know, but I'm trying to prevent this time."

"Akefia you shouldn't have to step down from your position just because of some relationship problems. You should be able to rise above it and lead your own damn group."

"Are you saying you don't want the position?"

"No, I'm saying you shouldn't just throw it away from one stupid little bump in the road." Akefia sighed.

"It would hurt me to see her hurt, Melvin...I want her to be safe, but then again, I want to feel like I don't care at all. I want to feel like I shouldn't care..."

"Akefia, you must step over that. You are our leader, lead us."

"You're right. It's just a silly emotion, why let it bother my whole system?"

"Exactly." Melvin nodded, and left Akefia's presence, walking to Tamara's room.

"Tamara?" He called in, and knocked.

The door opened, and Melvin looked down to her. She was in the first stage, her iris' purple, along with her hair.

"Yes?"

"Come. Meeting." He turned and went to get the others, just as Isis arrived.

"Tamara. Nice to see you." Isis said, pulling her into a hug. Tamara stood there awkwardly for a minute, but hugged back a little bit.

"Same here." She half smiled.

"Have the men been treating you well?"

"I guess..." Her mind flickered to the kiss with Akefia, and then the moment with Melvin.

"Guess?" She questioned.

"I've never really know what being treated well meant." Tamara half smiled, half joking and half serious.

"Ah, well, I'll be assured seeing you are in a better state that they are."

"Isis, you're here!" Marik ran to her and hugged her, both laughing a bit.

"Yes, I am. Where are the others? I was called...A meeting?"

"Yeah, not sure what about just yet, but I think it's a job!"

"A job? This soon?"

"Yeah, well..."His eyes averted to Tamara, and Isis nodded.

"Things are different now."

"You're right." Marik smiled, and padded off down the hall.

"You aren't the blame, Tamara." Melvin's voice came from behind her, and she turned quickly to face him.

"Are you sure about that?" Tamara half frowned, and Melvin put a hand on her shoulder, comforting her.

"Brother." Isis said, and Melvin looked behind Tamara.

"Sister. It's nice to see you here. You're going to accompany us on the next mission?"

"Akefia called me to, probably for the newbie to learn the ropes."

"I'm not such a newbie, Melvin trained me."

"She means to what we do in this world."

"Oh." Melvin half smiled, and moved to Isis' side.

"What have you been up too since I saw you last?"

"Just little odd jobs here and there, the government has many demands in this world."

"Government?" Tamara looked to both of them.

"It's a long story, but to shorten it, I work out how people come here."

Tamara nodded, and looked behind her to find Ryou coming out of his room.

"Oh, hello." He waved, and came to stand next to her.

"Ryou, it's a pleasure to see you with a smile."

"When the suns shining, there's something to smile about."

"Glad you can see that." She placed her hand on his, patting it slightly.

"Isis. I'm happy you came." Akefia clapped his hands together once, and walked over to Isis.

"You ordered me to, so I couldn't resist." He hugged her, and then led them all into the meeting room, where a big round table and chairs were waiting.

Melvin sat next to Akefia, and Isis pulled Tamara to sit between her and Melvin, Marik sitting on the other side of Isis, Ryou and Bakura filling in the last two seats.

"Soon we'll have to get more chairs." Akefia laughed, his leader charm turning on. He stood up, putting both palms on the table and leaning forward, beginning to speak.

"We have a new mission. As most of you know what we do, we have someone new here to explain what we do." His eyes flickered to Tamara. She shrunk in his gaze, her mind spinning from his air of Akefia's eyes on her.

"So we have some explaining to do." His smile came back to his face, and he looked around the room.

"Where do we even start?" Bakura leaned back, getting ready for a long conversation full of lots of words.

"We start with our first mission."

"What about how we all came together?"

"We don't have time for that, the mission is tomorrow."

"Alright, well, who should start?"

"I am willing." Isis and Melvin said at the same time. Akefia shook his head.

"No, I think I will. Now, Tamara, we are a group called the 'Darker Shadows'. We live on this world called the 'Dark Side of the Moon' or for short 'Dark Side'. What we do here...Is a bit of a dark justice."

"Dark justice?"

"Yes, we...Kidnap and experiment for the better use of the universe. For example, the Bermuda triangle, people just don't go there on accident. It's our doing."

"How so? You can't control the wind or anything in that world."

"Oh child, how little you know." Isis expressed, patting her hand.

"We can indeed, we can't control fate, but we can control some things in the human world. Even stop time, but so far we are experimenting with that, we can only hold it back or slow it down for certain amounts of time. Weather is a little more easier, unless fate wills it to be such."

"Kidnap? Experiment?"

"Kidnap, yes, we 'take' people. We mostly take people in government, celebrities, athletes, historical figures that were in the past. We will take normal people as well, children, little nobodies. We experiment, clone and set personalities that will suit what we want in the world, whether that be dumber or just to one day have them as pets or world ruling. There are so many things humans don't know. But we're not sure what we want with them yet, just to see what happens I guess. Why humans feel emotions..."

"Aren't you human?" Akefia stopped, and the room fell silent.

"That's for another time, but let me explain one thing."

"What?"

"This is a world of creatures that are far beyond human's reaches. Sometimes we can appear with humans that are brought here have loose ends with some humans on he human world, and when they were supposed to have died, they appear as 'ghosts'. We host almost all magical creatures..." Tamara thought about the gremlin, and nodded.

"Alright."

"Time goes faster here, what is ten years in the human world isn't nearly that long here. We can't track both their time and ours, but we know there is a difference. Time changes on your world, fate's doing and our own."

"Is that all I need to know?"

"For now, you may leave. Melvin, train her against Isis. Show her what she can do."

"Yes sir." Melvin stood up, waiting for Isis and Tamara.

"Brother, is she any fun to battle?"Isis winked, and laughed slightly. Melvin looked to Tamara's eyes, carefully watching her.

Melvin wanted to touch her, even slightly, like the night before. The gentle touch in the shadows that made him comfortable. Being around her was so easy, she was so...predictable. She was interesting, and her emotions were understandable, she was very easy to empathize with, perhaps too easy.

Melvin had seen her cry, and inside, it hurt. Reminded him of too many things all at once, broke his own shell while hers was cracking to the inside.

But he ignored everything he felt. It was wrong to feel like such when you worked with them. With her, he couldn't get too close, for better, smarter reasons. She shouldn't get attached, but Melvin didn't want to leave her in such a bad state.

"That depends if you find it fun to be lunged at."

"I don't lung that much..." Melvin gave her a sideways glance, and Tamara sighed, crossing her arms.

"Okay, but only because it's easy!"

"You can handle much more difficult things then easy. Try something new." Isis suggested.

"How do you know?"

"Tamara, you have the spark of life, you live with unimaginable energy within you." Isis touched each side of her face and smiled, bringing her forehead to Tamara's.

"You radiate the meaning of life..." Tamara blinked a few times, and pulled away.

"I'm not too big on the whole touching thing..."

"I'm sorry, it's just my way of doing things."

"Yeah, I know."

"You'll get used to it."Melvin said, and led them to the field in front of the lab building.

"So, shall you come at me first?" Isis asked, but Tamara didn't say anything as she jumped to the sky.

Isis transformed into a lioness, and pounced into the air, almost catching Tamara with a playful paw.

"Isis, she doesn't quite know how to fight full form yet." Melvin sighed, and Isis changed back.

"Oh, my apologies. I will try to go half form, I haven't done so in a long time."

"Yeah, well, she's new."

After a little while, Tamara was sent to train with the others. Which left the older siblings to talk.

"Melvin, what has changed you? You're not so iced."

"Iced? Are you trying to be hip again?"

"No I mean cold. Iced. You were so calm and blank before, but now, you have...emotions showing a little more...Is something wrong?"

"No, why?"

"Is it Tamara?"

"What gave you that idea?" He raised his eyebrows, but nothing else in his facial features, showing that it was an odd idea.

"You're right. Maybe it's just the magic she brings."

"What magic?"

"You don't feel it? It's defiantly affected the lab. Everything has a little more life put into it."

"Maybe that's just when you come around."

"Melvin, look at me." Isis said, and Melvin made the mistake of looking into her eyes just as he saw Tamara's wings in the sky.

"What?" He tried to play it off, but it was too late.

"Melvin, don't be so careful. You're alright now. She is not Kyrah. If anything, Kyrah drained life from this place."

"I have no clue what you're talking about, but I think I have to go to bed now. We've got a big day tomorrow."

"Indeed we do. But before you go, take my advice..."

"Yes?"

"Go with what feels right." With that, Isis turned to her room, and left Melvin standing there.

Tamara finished training, and went to her room.

As soon as she shut the door and looked into the blackness, she say a yellow pair of eyes open in the corner.

"Are you alright?" Melvin's voice asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright, just checking. I bid you a goodnight and good sleep Tamara." He started towards the door, but she reached out, grabbing his arm.

"Wait."

"What?"

"I want you to show me the pool of water one last time...Before we go on a mission."

"Tamara, I don't think-"Melvin moved out of her grip.

"Come on. I want to see what it does to me." She said, nearly pleading to her new found friend.

"It must be quick. Wait here. When the red stars are shinning, go to the roof. I'll be up there waiting."

"You're sure?"

"You should learn I tell the truth Tamara."

"Well, it's just..." She felt a finger on her lips.

"I get the gist of it." She heard him chuckle and leave, and laid down on her bed, looking up to the sky, waiting.

A little while later, when all lights were off throughout the lab facilities, Tamara crept to the roof, finding Melvin there as promised.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

"Yeah." She looked to him, his yellow eyes brighter then ever.

"This has to be quick, alright? You saw how much trouble we got in this morning, so no one can know we were ever gone."

"Why?"She almost slapped herself.

"Akefia doesn't know about the spring."

"How come?" Melvin didn't say anything, but held out a hand.

"It will be easier if its just me flying there, so take my hadn and when I transform, get on my back."

"Will you be able to carry me?" Tamara questioned, and Melvin sighed, grabbing her forearms and lifting her up like a feather.

"I told you I am older, have more training, which means I am stronger. Now quit asking questions and listen."

"Well you don't have to yell at me." She spat, and Melvin lowered his eyelids.

"I wasn't yelling, but if you want to get there soon, you just have to go with it." She thought about his words, but nodded, wanting to go to the spring again in anyway she could.

They arrived quicker then before.

And once they got there, Melvin transformed back to himself, or as close as he could get next to the spring.

"Another reason this works at night is because it's the closest to the moon." Melvin spoke, his head looking to the moon in the sky.

"Would it be okay if I jumped in like you did?"

"I wouldn't do that, you could drown. For one, you'd transform, maybe in your normal way and maybe in another way. But being as you don't have much control in Phoenix form, you could drown or it would swallow you. The spring is very powerful and has a mind of its own. You must be careful and gentle with it." Melvin's voice reached her ears, and with his eyes looking into hers, she felt he was looking into her soul. She nodded, and turned back to the water, dipping her finger in first, and pulling it out.

It was clean, no blood, nothing. Not even a vision.

Melvin walked next to her, looking at her hand.

"You still have innocence then." He lightly grabbed her hand in his, palm to palm, and examined it.

"But I don't see how..."

"Tamara, just because someone took your innocence doesn't mean that you don't have other innocence..."Melvin brought his other hand to the water, dipping it in.

Again the water turned to blood, but once Tamara brought her hand to the water, it had only small droplets of blood on it.

"Not so innocent." Tamara gently laughed, and Melvin watched her face go up in a smile, something she seemed to do a little more often, especially around him. It brought emotions with it, satisfaction and fear. She shouldn't be this way around him, but then again, he was happy she was.

He looked back to the water.

"But I suppose..."

"What?" Tamara looked up to him, and he gave a half smile.

"We could jump in together...That way I could stop you from drowning, and you'd know what it would be like..."Her heart skipped beats, fumbling throughout her lungs, and Melvin's held it's breath, hoping he didn't offend her.

"You...You would do that?" Melvin breathed a silent sigh of relief, but also his heart started racing.

"Yeah. But you have to hold on to me, don't let go. At all, no matter how cool, or how much the transformation hurts. Alright?"

"It's going to hurt?"

"I thought I said no questions."

"You didn't."

"Well, no questions. Come on." He held out his other hand for hers, and she grabbed it.

"Am I going to be okay?"

"As long as you hold onto me, now, just breathe, and we'll jump in on there...Ready? One..." Melvin jumped and pulled them both in, surprising Tamara, but also letting the transformation happen naturally.

Melvin's transformation happened quickly, he had been in the water before so it recognized him immediately, but Tamara's took a few seconds longer, the water filling her pores, and forming her to the way of the spring.

Melvin launched them out of the water, and up into the air.

Once in the air, the transformation really took its toll.

She had taken on a dark blue color theme, her wings burning blue, along with everything else. Almost like her other three transformations, but this time, her hair, eyes, markings, and wings were all blue.

"Tamara, you can open your eyes..." Melvin whispered, and she carefully opened her eyes, looking down at everything.

"I'M BLUE!"

"You took on the form the water chose. In this case, blue fire. You're alright, if you go to full Phoenix you should change back."

"But it's so pretty! I don't want to!" She looked at herself again, gently touching the wings.

Melvin smiled a bit, and let her go, shifting into the shadows.

"Melvin?"

"Change back, it's time to go."

"We'll come back again right?" Melvin silently wondered if this would become a normal thing with her. It both gave him a feeling of happiness and fear. It could, but it shouldn't.

"Maybe, you need sleep Tamara."

"Oh, please, I get enough of that." Melvin lowered his eyelids, the yellow in them only showing a little.

"Well, I do, just not recently." Tamara added after she looked to his eyes, and Melvin reached out for her hand.

"Come on..."

The next morning, Akefia woke up with a sense of no sleep. He felt the whole night he was worried, he would regret today some way, and he knew it would be because of Tamara. Ever since he'd kissed her, she'd been on his mind, he wanted more time with her, wanted to hear her voice, see her, touch her. Would she disappear one day out of the blue? He couldn't know, but he hoped not. That had happened last time, but last time was different. Tamara was not Kyrah.

Tamara was better.

He padded off to the front, all ready for the mission. Today was important. Today they put chips in humans heads. Sucked the personalities out of them, took their lives away, because they deserved this. Humans were useless and stupid, they were pets to the rest of the worlds, and deserved to be tested on.

He walked out to a ready team, Tamara included. They were all lined up with a straight forward expression. Melvin with his calm and cool, Marik with his mystery, Bakura with his mischief, Ryou with his comfort, Isis being Isis, Akefia with his pride, and Tamara with her brash cockiness.

Akefia walked down the line of the team members, looking at each of their faces, and finally rested his eyes on Tamara, his prize.

Screw what happened last time, he felt something deeper this time. And if she felt the same, that's all that mattered.

"Alright team, we've got a mission, and a head to collect."

"Who is it this time?"

"Not someone to special, this time we may just kidnap someone for fun." Akefia smiled at all of them, as if they were talking about hunting.

They were, in a way.

"Well, who's the main head?"

"Someone in a a small town village." Akefia let Isis take over the information.

"His name is Henry Werkan. We must remove him from the world. What we do with him is up to us, but they just want him gone."

"What did he do?" Tamara asked and everyone turned to look at her, Akefia just gave a small smile.

"He didn't do anything. Someone just wants him gone. Or maybe he did something that upset one of our people there, no one really knows anymore." Akefia turned to the rest of them.

"I know she's going to hate me for this, but watch over the baby to our team, she's still training."

"Hey-"

"I know Tamara, but you haven't seen any of this in action yet. You're still weak." Tamara bit her tongue as she got a glare from Akefia, and she looked down.

Him giving her attention and just saying her name made her heart beat. She felt like melting when he did, that way he said it, the way he moved and breathed it out of his chest brought her knees weak. She wasn't exactly sure if it was right to feel this way about him, and most defiantly couldn't stand him. She didn't quite know how to explain it, but she resented him for being the interrogator when it wasn't his job. She wasn't nearly special enough to deserve attention, and wanted it averted away from her.

But also craved it. She wanted to be admired form afar, while admiring from afar. Getting too close meant bad things.

And then something hit her.

Was that what Melvin meant? Was that...?

She gulped, looking to the tall man a few persons away from her. She caught him looking at her, as well as everyone else, but they all turned away.

Her heart reacted by slowing down, a comforting feeling she got when she was with Melvin.

"Now, for this mission, we will be going in quickly, and either trapping him alone or driving him to a place we can get him alone. If we catch anyone on our way, so be it. The limit is two." Akefia turned, Melvin and Isis stepped forward.

"Are you ready brother?"

"When you are sister." Melvin replied. They brought their hands together, and Akefia threw dust into the area in front of him, a portal appearing.

"Alright, everyone in." Akefia motioned to the portal, and Ryou grabbed Tamara's hand.

"Please don't be angry, but I understand this is your first time. It's better if you're holding onto someone."He smiled, looking at her sideways, and Tamara nodded, looking back to Melvin and Isis who were chanting words.

Akefia was directing the team in, and Tamara sighed. Ryou was nice, but she was still annoyed with him, and as soon as they passed into the human world, she pulled her hand away.

Ryou frowned, looking to her, and sighed.

"I assure you I didn't mean to upset you...It was a question."

"A pathetic one. "Tamara scuffed.

"Well, it is what it is. I asked because I was curious."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be." Tamara folded her arms across her chest, and Ryou put a hand on her shoulder.

"Please forgive me...I don't like you being angry at me." Tamara stepped away from him, and ran right into to Melvin, Melvin's hands resting on her shoulders.

"Be careful, you're in the human world now." Melvin's mouth whispered in her ear, and her heart nearly stopped, his voice echoing in her ears, and his touch running through her veins.

She nodded, and Melvin raised an eyebrow, dragging her along as he walked past.

"Now we're in the back of the group."

"Is that bad?"

"Not for me, for you, maybe. I'm not sure where Akefia wanted you in the formation, and he's an idiot for just letting you come without instructions." Melvin hissed the words, angry at Akefia's attitude towards this. He knew better then this, was he even thinking?

Probably not.

Melvin looked to Tamara who slipped every so often on the mountain they appeared on, and his eyebrows knitted together, worried for her.

"Do you want to go back?"

"Go back?"

"I can open the portal myself, I can take you back."

"But..." She looked ahead, the group gone. Tamara felt anger rise within her, and she barred her teeth, glaring at them.

"Tamara calm down. They aren't used to you in the group, they forget you have to learn what pace to keep." Melvin noted that her marks calmed down, and that the ground she walked on was now not scorched.

Dealing with a baby Phoenix was tough, but he seemed to have a voice of reason with her.

"Whatever." Tamara spat, and he put a hand on her shoulder, stopping the march forward.

"Calm down." Her marks gently sizzled, smoke coming from them only a tiny bit, but as he looked into her eyes, he saw her blood quit boiling, and the marks fade completely to black.

"Alright?" He asked, and she nodded, turning forward.

Akefia stopped the group, and sighed.

He had forgotten she was new and didn't know the pace.

But he thanked Melvin in his mind for staying with her.

Isis sighed, knowing something was up with Melvin. He wasn't as focused. He had stayed back, and he was usually in the front of the group right next to Akefia. Had this girl changed him that much? She smiled, knowing she was right, she had that magic with him, even with Kyrah he never gave up the front of the group. Ever. But maybe that could also be Akefia kept Kyrah up there with them. Would he do that again with Tamara?

Akefia finally decided to bring Tamara to the front when they got back.

Melvin sighed as he sensed his time with Tamara would soon be up, they were approaching the group.

He took this time as time to hold dear, not that he wouldn't see her again, he just knew that after this set back, Akefia would keep her at the front with him. Melvin thought to sink in the back, watching from behind in case she fell back again.

He went with that, and once they reached the group, stayed back.

_**A/N: okay, I like this story a little more. Had to cut this chapter X(, but Working on the next one! :D have faith that I come through, and if you don't, I do.**_

_**Give me feedback on this one? Read and Review? Please?**_

_**Thanks for reading! :D**_

_**yu-gi-oh characters belong to the creators of it, and I own the Dark Side of the Moon, Dark Side, and Tamara ( my OC.)**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: On The Dark Side**

They reached the house where Henry was, and immediately stepped in to action, Ryou and Marik knocking at the door first.

And they were let in.

"Now, we either wait for them to leave, or we wait for a signal." Akefia explained to Tamara.

"What's the signal?"Tamara asked.

"Someone leaving." Akefia smiled, and looked to the house, seeing someone run out of the back door, and jumping out of the tall trees they hid in, pouncing on the man.

And like the nap of finger's they were all back in the Dark Side.

"What-Who are you?" The man they were after started questioning rapidly, scared.

Tamara enjoyed it, and laughed to herself. Fear was something she enjoyed looking at other people struggling with. This man felt his life was in danger:

And it was.

He cowered in fear as Akefia circled him, bending down to face the man on his knees, eye to eye.

"What do you think we could do with him? Which procedures?" Akefia looked up to his group, and smiled.

"Why don't we let the newbie have some fun?"

"Perhaps, but that means she'll have to have an older member present."

"And why shall that be?" Isis said, looking to the two oldest members, Akefia and Melvin.

"I think..."Akefia started, but saw Isis' eyes, and looked to Melvin.

"Melvin, can you take it?"

"Akefia, are you sure?" Melvin was hesitant, and crossed his arms leaning against a tree.

"Yeah, why not?" Bakura dragged the prisoner to the interrogation chamber with a smile.

"Akefia, shall we try it?"

"Not yet, he doesn't need to return to that world. We'll see if he can last in ours."Akefia said, and him and Isis went to his office, for a quick chit chat of the next mission.

Or so he thought.

"Akefia, watch your evils. The balance must be kept." Isis warned, and Akefia sighed.

"Oh, Isis, being bad is what I do best."

"But being good brings good things."

"What good is in this world? Humans took that and killed it."

"Is that why you torture? With tests and 'experiments'?"

"Don't act like it didn't help."

"But now with the next project Akefia, you're pushing it a little too far...The balance-"

"Screw the balance Isis. This world is call the 'Dark Side' isn't it?"

"Just because it's called dark doesn't mean it has to be pitch black."

"What better darkness then one where you can cause nightmares?"

"The one where light is present to help!"

"And what light is that?" Akefia's hand caught her wrist, squeezing it.

"The world you used to live in..." She said, with tears in her eyes.

Akefia's mind flashed to when Tamara was crying, and he let go, turning towards his door.

"I'll be right back, you may leave." He exited the room, and Isis breathed, blinking a few times.

Tamara had changed more then she thought. Akefia would have screamed at her. He'd never hit her though, he was above that, in the least.

But could one girl change so much? It could be possible, but also considering what the crisis with Kyrah had done to both her brother and her friend, she sighed. They were cautiously changing themselves. Trying to prevent such a thing from happening again, but both leading right down that same road, a prettier path that looked safe. The pressure would be on Tamara, and this time, there would be no 'saving' of the girl. Nothing can go and help her, whisk her away to another simpler world.

A world Akefia was after. One he would destroy if he could, just for laughs and revenge. Being born the way he was, he should feel something towards that world. But nothing like this. Now he resented it more, could it be because Kyrah was there, and he wasn't?

Isis shook her head, and fell to her knees, another vision coming on.

One with Kyrah coming back.

Akefia knocked on the door, and once it open he quickly slipped in.

"I'll do the interrogation today, you two don't have to." Akefia quickly said to Melvin, who only nodded as Akefia left.

Melvin sighed, dropping his head a little bit. He looked out to the window, still daylight, and licked his lips. Tonight he would have to, being around her as much as he was lately, and with him like this, wasn't safe at all. For either of them.

He quickly walked out of his room, almost running down the hall, but still managed to look calm.

"Melvin?" He stopped dead in his tracks, knowing that voice only too well. Considering his ears searched for it anyways, he sighed, turning around to see Tamara.

"Yes?" His voice melted out of his mouth, on accident, but she seemed to ignore it.

"I...I was told not to do the interrogation tonight?"

"Yes, Akefia said he'd do it himself." Melvin nodded, and Tamara turned, leaving.

Melvin quickly looked around him, listening for anyone else nearby, and once he knew it was clear, he caught her arm, and as she turned, his lips came close to her ear.

"Tonight." He whispered, letting her go and disappearing from sight before she could blink.

Tamara looked at the spot where Melvin had stood before her, and blinked. He couldn't have known, could he? Had it been on his mind as well? Or did he just know?

Would this be their little secret?

She shook it from her brain, at least a little longer.

Later that night, she waited on the roof, and as she heard the door to the roof open, she turned.

Melvin looked at her with bright yellow eyes, piercing her soul, and walked closer to her.

"Usually I'm here first."

"Well I switched that up tonight."

"Taking control?"

"Maybe." She teased, and he half smiled, ruffling her hair.

"Well, are you ready?"

"Sure, can I fly this time too?"

"I don't see why not, but you need sleep."

"I'll sleep later, I want you to teach me." She smiled a slightly cocky smile, and he nodded, leading her to the pool of water again.

Once they were there and sitting by the pool of water, Melvin laid on his back, looking up to the sky.

"Is this going to become a regular thing?" Tamara asked, and Melvin raised his eyebrows.

"I'm not sure...It might."

"Hey Melvin...?"

"Hey Tamara?" He smiled up to the sky, but waited.

"What happened earlier? You looked like you were in a rush."

"Something Akefia wanted, that's all." Melvin hid, but suddenly realized he had forgotten what he went out for originally, and nearly slapped himself. Well, he'd have to deal for now.

Melvin's head lay near Tamara's feet, and he smiled, looking at her tiny feet. His hand reached out over his head, as he rolled onto his stomach, and grabbed her foot gently in his long fingers.

"Melvin?" Tamara asked, alert. Melvin smiled, not looking up to her.

"You have such small feet..." His voice sounded almost childish as he studied her foot, tracing the creases in the skin. She pulled her foot back, and as he looked up to Tamara's eyes, he sat up, leaning closer.

"I'm not allowed to touch you?"

"You...You never did before..."She stammered, and Melvin smiled, putting his fingers in locks of her hair, feeling the softness of it, and gently touching her jaw line as he moved his hand down to her shoulder. He smiled with his teeth, truly enjoying himself with this. He backed away, and sat down a little further from her.

"I'll stop then." Melvin looked to the water, wishing he could touch it, but didn't want to transform that far tonight. Not like this, and especially when he'd forgotten to do something as important as that...

Tamara's heart felt like crying. She was so confused, but all she knew she wanted now, was Melvin.

"How old are you?"Tamara changed the subject quickly, and Melvin seemed fine with it.

"Old."

"How old is that?" Melvin turned his head to look at her, and held her chin between his finger and thumb.

"Older then you." He smiled, and moved away.

"So you're grandpa old?" Tamara laughed, and he shook his head.

"I'm about Akefia's age..."

"And how old is that again?"

"Human years? Twenty three. Dark Side years? We don't count. We know our time passes much more slower then humans, but we keep our time tracked even just a little bit. So I'm humanly twenty three, but in this world, it won't be until another five years until I age to twenty four." He looked to her in a sideways glance, and she nodded.

"So humanly I'm seventeen years old?"

"Just about. But the being that your DNA is mixed with is older."

"So my Phoenix?"

"When it bonded with you, it became a new, so you're still a young Phoenix." Tamara nodded, and went on with her next question.

"How old is your being?" Melvin fell silent.

"They are many many many years older then what I know. They only know they've been alive since the time of darkness and light." Melvin sighed, and looked into the water as his reflection, only to look away as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to Tamara, and put his forehead to hers.

"Thank you, but I'm not sad."

"You don't need to be."She replied.

"But you never touch me..."

"Doesn't mean I can't start now."

Melvin smiled back with an equal cheeky grin, satisfied that finally, he didn't have to be the second man here.

He leaned a little closer, gently grazing his lips on hers, and looked to her eyes, which were closed, before he continued.

But then that gave him a moment to think. This was bad, really really really bad. He should pull back, RUN BACK, away from here, away from this big mistake.

He couldn't. He didn't want to. This was feeling too right to go wrong, too perfect to be a mistake.

He put his mouth to hers, and let the reactions happen. People could judge and kill him later, right now, he felt happy, which was bad, but bad in a good way.

Tamara looked to the water, peering at her reflection as Melvin played with one of her hands.

"You don't mind that I play with your hands?"

"Not really."

"Interesting." Melvin said, smiling, and gently kissed her palm. She resisted the reaction to pull her hand away and told her that it was already too far to go back, and that this wouldn't be like that last one. She wouldn't allow that, and Melvin was different. SHE was different, and she had to remember, this whole world was different.

"So...Melvin..."She started talking so she would stop thinking.

"So Tammy." Melvin smiled, and she scrunched her face.

"Ew."

"You don't like being called Tammy?"

"No, it's something everyone used to try to call me as a child. It never grew on me."

"I'm sorry, what would you like me to call you then?"

"Just call me by my name." She said, shrugging.

"But I want to give you a nick name." Melvin said, and Tamara thought about it, shrugging when nothing came to mind. She'd always been called by her name, no one cared otherwise.

But Melvin wanted to give her a nickname, for his secret unknown reasons. And he took pride in why. It would mean he gave her something, a little small something, but he also loved her name. They way it came from the back of his throat at night, when he whispered it near this pool of water. He loved the way she would turn if called.

"Well, that's for later, I have a question..." She had kissed Akefia, and now kissed Melvin. She wanted to make sure of something, but wasn't exactly sure how to ask. She couldn't tell Melvin about Akefia, no, Akefia had said not to, but she didn't want this to be something even an inch close to last time...

"What?" Melvin looked up to her, seeing her worry, and frowned slightly, but played his face in a calm matter. No showing emotions just yet, neither of them were ready for that.

"Well...I...Melvin...What..." She struggled, and he rolled on his back, looking up at her, and gently touching his fingertips to her jaw line.

"Yes?" He smoothed out his voice, and looked her straight in the eye, seeing her worry.

"What is this?"

"This?" He looked around, raising an eyebrow.

"Us...What we're doing..."

"Right now we're sitting near a pool of water at night time, when you should be sleeping, in the middle of a sacred woods on a mountain in the moonlight far away from the society we live in on a world call The Dark Side of the Moon."

"No, that's not what I meant." She gently shoved him with her hand, playing. He smiled.

"Well, I suppose only you can answer that."

"How can only I? You're a part of it!"

"But I'm not in control of where this goes." He wasn't sure if it was a lie, but he knew it wasn't the truth. In a way, neither of them were in charge.

"Oh that's a lie! I can't be in control of this..." She looked down, gently leaning closer to the water bank.

"Be careful near there, and yes you are...Come on...Tell me what I'm allowed to do..."Melvin coaxed, and Tamara sighed, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Stop playing with me like that."

"Alright, rule number one." He smiled, and she rolled her eyes.

"Melvin, seriously...where do we stand?"

"Mara..."He whispered, and her shoulders sank.

"That's fine I guess. But I honestly want to know."

"Well I'm afraid that's an answer I don't have." Or didn't want to answer.

"Well we need to find out."

"Tamara, relax about it. It was..." Melvin stopped. If he continued the sentence, he would be lying. It wasn't just a kiss, it was something much more. Something much more deeper and meaningful. Something Melvin wanted to feel again. He couldn't say it was just a kiss, for one, he could see it would hurt both of them, and lastly, it wasn't. Sure, they may have kissed, but it meant more. And by meaning more, it wasn't just nothing...

"It was what?"

"It was something magical...Something...That meant something I'm not entirely sure what right now."

"Well that explains a whole hell of a lot." She snipped sarcastically, and Melvin sighed, moving away from her.

"If you're just going to be sassy, then I'm moving away from you and your sassy." He rolled onto his stomach, looking at the water. Tamara didn't say anything, but debated whether or not to jump into the water.

She jumped in, feet first, and opened her eyes, looking around her as she seemed to be pulled down lower. She couldn't see above the water, no shadows, nothing.

She began to feel the transformation, but as soon as it started, it stopped, dragging her down into the depths of the endless water, and she stretched her arms to the top reaching with all her might.

Seaweed grabbed around her ankles, and she heard the words whispered through bubbles into her ears.

"You're gonna die down here." The voice laughed, and the water started to turn into an underwater whirlpool, her in the middle.

She let out a scream as she tried to transform, but nothing worked, her whole body feeling as if it were clogged with the water.

She looked up on last time, but only say the whirlpool around her spinning faster, and let out the last breath she held in her body.

She would've cried a pool of waters if she wasn't stuck at the bottom of one already, and as her mind started fuzzing in and out, the fire unable to light due to lack of oxygen, she felt stupid. Melvin had warned her, and now she'd just gone and did what he told her not to do.

Her marks burned bright, leaving beams of light in the water, and her eyes slowly started drifting closed. Thoughts of everyone she'd ever met ran through her mind, one last time as she realized:

Akefia was right.

She had never lived.

She awoke in her room, and sat up quickly. Was it all a dream? Had she slept past the time she was supposed to meet Melvin? Had he come to check on her?

"You're an idiot." Melvin said, laying next to her. He didn't look happy, but actually quite annoyed.

"It wasn't a dream?"

"You're an idiot." He repeated, more angry.

"Well, yeah I know."

"Why did you do it? I know you hate that word, but why Tamara?" He whispered quietly, too quiet, and she bit her lip as he pulled her back down to look him in the eyes.

"Well, I wanted to see if I could do it myself!"

"You need to accept the fact that sometimes, it just doesn't work the way you wanted. Deal with it."

"Melvin, you can't be angry at me-"

"YOU ALMOST DIED!" He hissed, and she looked away form him.

"But I was trying to do something on my own-"

"TAMARA." He warned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

She fell quiet, and Melvin hugged her in his arms, whispering in her ear.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to yell...Just don't do that to me..."

"Well I didn't mean to-"

"I know..."He said, and let go of her, getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"To my own room..."He gave her a questionable look, raising an eyebrow.

"Why...Why don't you stay here?" She didn't want to be left alone. She didn't want to admit it, but she had scared herself with that stupid stunt. She wanted someone there, no, not someone, Melvin. She wanted Melvin there.

"Tamara, this isn't right. This isn't how things work out..."

"Please?"She's never said that. Not since she'd gotten here, and he was pretty sure that she never said please in her human life either.

"You're begging me?"He almost laughed and Tamara blushed a little in the darkness. Melvin knew that this would be bad, but sighed, laying back down.

He slid to the edge of the bed, letting her have to wall side, and shut his eyes.

She had almost died today. Almost out of his reach. Almost gone.

When he was sure she was asleep, he opened his eyes. He wasn't sure why, but she wanted him here. A monster, in her bed. He shook his head, having her so close, and his teeth came out a little.

He quickly pulled his head back, away from hers.

He couldn't, no, not this one. He only fed on those he didn't know.

He didn't want to transform the way he did in the water in front of her again, although she claimed it didn't scare her, he felt like a monster, something he didn't want to feel like if he was going to be with her.

He gently brought his face to hers, planting a gentle kiss on her lips as he looked to the sky light, finding it almost day time.

He leaned his head forward to her ear, and whispered.

"I'll see you later.."He whispered and slipped out of the room tiptoeing back to his own.

Isis was sitting on his bed.

"Brother...Did you have fun?" She looked up to him.

"With what?"

"I have a feeling it's you who can tell what."

"I don't understand sister." Melvin kept his face calm and plain, showing nothing, and ignoring everything that was running through his heart and brain.

"Melvin, I'm not angry with you..."She smiled widely, but Melvin didn't back down yet.

"What do you mean?"

"Melvin, you went with my advice, and you...What did you do? You smell like insane amounts of water Darkness." She raised her eyebrow, and he shrugged.

"Took a night swim."

"But I also smell fire Darkness."

"Well, maybe I flew a little too close to a chimney."

"Melvin, I know you. You never do this. Where did you go?"

"Outside."

"Melvin."

He stood his ground, and his sister sighed.

"I'm going to go check Tamara..."Melvin gulped once she looked to the door, and as she passed, he grabbed her arm.

"Don't."

"Why?" She glared, knowing something was up. He was never like this.

"I'll tell you if you stay here and tell NO ONE."

"Melvin, who am I going to tell?"

"Just don't tell anyone."

"Fine." He let go and she sat down, waiting.

"What do you want to know?"

"Where were you tonight?"

"In the mountains."

"With who?" She questioned, and Melvin knew this would be coming. He looked down, debating to tell her or not.

"Tamara." Isis raised her eyebrows in surprise, but she kind of knew he'd be with her. The real questions came next.

"What were you two doing?" She asked slowly, and Melvin's eye's composed a glare as he lowered his eyelids to slits.

"You know I wouldn't do anything."

"I wasn't speaking of such, but it's nice to know that nothing happened pertaining that. But what did you two do?"

"We sat and talked."

"Why do you smell like water Darkness!"

"Because...She accidentally fell into a pool of water..."

"In a sacred forest...?" Isis froze, and Melvin nodded once.

"Yeah..."

"Which one?" She asked cautiously, and Melvin looked down.

"The unknown one..."

"No...Oh Melvin...No no no no no no no! Please...Don't tell me..."

Melvin fell silent.

"YOU PUT HER IN DANGER MELVIN." Isis warned. Melvin nodded.

"But I figured this out, it's not bad, it just has a mind of its own...It sends transformations to a new point. It works with hybrids and blood born."

"Really?" Isis leaned forward.

"Yeah." Melvin nodded, and Isis continued.

"You'll have to show me one day...But Melvin you should know better...You took her to a sacred place..."

"It allowed her in, so I guess it's okay, isn't it?"

"Alright, for now I'll ignore it. But she fell in and you jumped in to save her?"

"Yeah."

"Which pool of water?"

"The center one."

"The unknown one as well? Oh Melvin..."

"I jumped in to save her, but she almost drowned. I had to reject the transformation before it would let me down to the bottom, which caused a whirlpool in the water..."

"Is the water still there?"

"Yes, all of it is."

"Good, alright. And the fire Darkness?"

"She almost transformed when the air hit her body."

"Did you get burned?"

"A little bit..."Melvin nodded, showing her his palms, which had the markings branded into them a little bit.

"Good, you didn't get the Phoenix mark branded."

"It would make it different?"

"The Phoenix would own you." Isis said, and Melvin chuckled a little bit.

"That's not funny Melvin, it's serious." Melvin ignored his sisters words, but knew she was right. The Phoenix would own him, not Tamara.

"Well, that's about it, and I took her home here..."

"You just left her in her room? SHE MUST THINK SHE HAD DIED!"

"No, I came back a long time ago..."

"Then...?"She asked, but then it clicked.

"You stayed there until she woke up?"

"The first time yeah, and I told she had done wrong, then tried to leave."

"And now you're here? She must be frightened..."

"No, she begged me to stay by her...So I did until I was certain she was asleep, and here I am."

"Melvin, you both need sleep..."

"I've told her this..."

"Well it can't be an every night thing...Does she know that?"

"I told her, yes."

"Doesn't mean she knows..."

"Isis, I'm trying. Alright? I'm trying really hard with her..."

"Did you at least tell her where you two stand?"

"She tried asking about that, but I wasn't sure what to say so I told her only she could say that, and she wouldn't because she said I was apart of it..."

"Well, she's got a point. You can't just dump that all on her."

"I wasn't. I'll tell her when I'm sure myself."

"How can you not be sure how you feel? She shows the same feelings Melvin..."

"Well, I'm not sure how far I want to take this with her...But it literally seems I'm not in control anymore...It's out of my hands and it's not in hers..." Melvin sighed, and Isis laughed.

"Then fate has taken matters into it's own hands. Melvin, can't you see? Fate has it all planned out..."

"And what of Akefia? He fancies her as well..."

"But she fancies you..."

"She looks unsure how she feels with him...Through he does upset her, she shivers at the very mention of his name."

"Because she seems to be scared of him. She is uncertain how she feels about him, yes, but if you look at her eyes when you're near, it seems everything is decided with her. Akefia may cause her to want to run, her blood jumping at the mention of his name, but it is yours that says everything is alright, yours that calms every cell in her body. Yours that is the voice of reason..."

"How can you prove this?" Melvin looked over his shoulder to his sister, and she smiled.

"I can, but you must stick with me tomorrow. No going off by yourself."

"That will be easy."

"But first,.."

"Yes?"

"Have you told her about you...?Everything?"

"Not anything but my age and the demon gargoyle's age."

"Melvin, you'll have to be honest with her."

"She hasn't told me her past-"

"How can you expect her to if you don't trust her with yours?" Isis shook her head, and Melvin sighed, nodding.

"You're right...I'll get on that...sometime soon..."

"Hold off on it...She'll respect you more if you have restraints. And she'll be dying to know." Isis smiled, and Melvin looked to the door.

"Should I go back to her? She'd be waking up without me there..."

"Brother you know what's right...Go to her." Isis encouraged.

"But if anyone, besides you, catches us...We're both dead."

"I'll keep them away...I'll take them to town. Make her breakfast." Isis opened the door for Melvin, and nodded.

"And if they come to wake us?"

"I'll say I saw you two training, and to leave you be." She shoved him to Tamara's door where he slipped in silently, to find Tamara awake, and looking at the sky light.

She sat up, surprised, but couldn't really see in the still dark room.

"Melvin?" His eyes looked to hers as he came into view, and she looked up innocently.

Melvin felt like a bit of a monster, looking at the tiny innocent Tamara.

"Sorry, I had to go do something..."

"But you whispered goodbye..."She frowned, and Melvin brought his hand to the side of her face, gently running his fingertips down her face, and putting his head close to hers, gently bumping their noses.

Eskimo kisses.

Tamara looked to Melvin, and he spoke up.

"Lay down, you need sleep."

"Are you going to stay?"

"Do you want me to stay?" She nodded, and Melvin crawled next to her, covering her in blankets.

"Melvin?"

"Tamara, go to sleep..."Melvin sighed, and silence came from Tamara, but she spoke up again.

"I just wanted to ask you a question..."  
>"After this question, you will go to sleep. Alright?" He looked to her, and felt bad as she looked a little bit hurt from him leaving and to hear a command.<p>

"Well, are you going to stay?" She asked, and seemed a little sweet in Melvin's point of view. He smiled, and pulled her close, his arms coming around hers.

"Of course. Now, go to sleep..." His voice rang in her sleep, but she didn't find anything wrong with that.

_**Authors Note: This chapter, was alright...I enjoyed it, as I do enjoy writing! :D**_

_**Read and review or R&R :D please. But anyways, in this chapter, Tamra finally went on a mission with the Dark Side of the Moon group, and then after she jumped into that secret pool of water like an idiot and nearly killed herself! :D thank goodness Melvin was there.**_

_**And then Isis helping Melvin? Can it get any more secret savvy in the family? I'd think not!**_

_**I own Tamara and everything to do with the Dark Side of the Moon world, and the people who created the Yu-Gi-Oh characters, own them. I do not allow anyone to use my work whatsoever, no exceptions.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter ten: Rules of the Dark Side**

Tamara woke up with the sun rays shining right through the sky light and onto the wall, and she quickly sat up, looking around to the now bright room.

What time was it? Had anyone come to check on here and found Melvin here?

Melvin. She quickly turned her head next to her, to find an asleep Melvin, and she shook him awake.

"Melvin...Wake up...Melvin!" He sighed, and reluctantly opened his eyes, raise his eyebrows with a questionable look.

"Hmm?" He sat up, looking around. He found nothing to be alarmed with and laid his head back down.

"Melvin! Someone could have come in!"

"They didn't and they won't."

"How do you know?" Tamara spat, looking at him with a crazy look.

"Because they aren't here. They're all out with Isis..."He mumbled, yawning.

"What...?"

"Yeah, she said she'd take them.." Tamara still sat up, and looked around.

"So we're the only one's here?"

"Yes." Melvin sighed, and opened his eyes. He wasn't going to get anymore sleep this morning, but almost as if it was a sad happiness, he was okay with that as long as he got to spend it with her.

"Oh..."

Melvin looked up to Tamara, and put his hand on hers.

"So, what are you doing?" He asked, chuckling slightly.

"I don't know...I'm not tired anymore..."

"Probably the Phoenix...It enjoys the day, but with how late you stay up, I'm surprised you're not sleeping like the dead." He kissed her palm, and she smiled.

"I'm surprised you haven't actually told me what weird things I do in my sleep."

"What?" Melvin looked up.

"Yeah, when I was younger, I used to talk, I'm a blanket hog, and sometimes I'll sit up and walk around my room. But that was when I was younger I guess."

"That's adorable." Melvin laughed, and Tamara sighed, taking her hand back.

"It's a bit embarrassing."

"Sorry, I don't mean to laugh...Tell me more." Melvin felt this was what his sister meant, but he didn't even mention an ounce of his past and she was already giving tiny bits.

"No...I'm not ready to talk about it..."She said, and turned her head away from him.

"Well, how about I start with a certain someone's past..?"

"Who's?"

"Someones..."

"Yours?" Tamara asked, and Melvin bit his tongue, shaking his head.

"Maybe, I haven't decided yet..." Melvin breathed, she would know about Kyrah, if he mentioned anything about his past, she'd get the groups, Akefia's and his own all in one. She wasn't ready to know all that yet, but he knew one day, she'd know.

"Melvin? Come on I told you something embarrassing about me...You go." She nudged his arm and he laughed, smiling at her.

"Alright, fine." I'll say something embarrassing from when I was a child."

"What?"

"I used to collect insects..." Melvin said quietly, and Tamara looked at him in surprise, a smile coming to her face.

"I don't believe that..."

"It's true...I used to be meek and shy..." Melvin said, a smile coming to his lips as he he looked at her face.

"You're lying. You're too cool to have been like that." She laughed and he shook his head.

"I'll prove it to you.." Melvin got up, taking Tamara's hand and leading her through the quiet house to the room where the door to his room was.

"Before I show this to you...I want you to promise me that you'll never tell anyone."

"As long as you tell no one about mine, we're fair and square." She smiled up to him, and he laughed, turning to open the door, but held up a finger to her.

"One minute, I'll be right back."

"I can't come in?" Tamara looked a little confused at first, but sighed, and shook her head.

He came back out with something behind his back in his hands and smiled, looking into her eyes through his own half shut eyes.

"I want you...to look at the last one I have of my past..."He revealed a little box that had insects glued to the inside, kept in as good condition as it could be.

"Aw...it's adorable."Tamara smiled, gently touching the butterfly wings, but then moving her hands away.

"It was my first one, and the only one I keep in my closet now." Melvin looked away form her, and she nodded, letting him go put it back. When he returned, she smiled.

He put his arms around her, and smiled down at her.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, ignoring the fact he was starving himself.

"A little, are you?"

"Kind of..."Melvin put his forehead to hers, and his hands moved to her waist. He didn't breathe for a minute, worried she'd reject him or back away. When she didn't and put her arms around his neck, he breathed, and smiled.

"Let's go eat then..."

"Well, I'm not sure if Akefia bought food..."Melvin looked to the kitchen doorway, and sighed.

"We should go see." She slid her arms down his arms, and released his hold on her, causing Melvin to sigh still holding her hand. He knew he shouldn't push it too far too fast, but he just wanted to hold her inside him, buried in his soul.

Which he shook from his head because he feared it sounded creepy.

She walked to the kitchen and he walked behind her, looking around in the cupboards as she looked in the freezer and fridge.

"Anything in there?"Melvin asked, and Tamara shook her head.

"No, what about in there?" She asked and he shook his head.

"Nope, but it's alright. We'll get something later.."

"But I'm hungry now..."She whined and Melvin's shoulders sank.

"We can't go out, because they're out and I'm not sure where..." Melvin looked out the window and tried to think of what to do.

"Well, I can wait..."Tamara sighed, padding out of the kitchen. Melvin followed after her, and once she reached her room, he stopped.

"I'll...I'm going to the roof." Melvin run up the stairs, threw open the door, and turned and breathed as he reached the sun's rays. The wind blew through his hair, and he listened to the sounds of the morning. The suns rays felt like Tamara', and he smiled at the thought, looking down to the edge of the building, when he heard the door open to reveal Tamara dressed for the day.

"Hey, are we going...?" She asked, and seemed eager to go to the woods. Melvin shook his head, and turned to her.

"No where, we have to be here when they get back..."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Stay here until they get back." Melvin sighed, hating to know he disappointed her, but this time Isis wasn't here to save him from Akefia. He knew better then to do anything else. His luck would be the moment they leave, the others came back, or even worse that they'd run into them.

Tamara looked almost hurt as she turned away, but then looked back to find Melvin looking at her.

"Not how things work huh?" She asked, and Melvin nodded once, tilting to his head to the side as his face showed an understanding emotion.

"Nothing seems to work at all in this twisted world." Tamara said, sourly turning away and slamming the door behind her. Melvin sighed, knowing exactly what she was doing, but fell to her trap anyways.

"What did the door do to you?" He asked, his tone not light, but not upset. Questionable, in his normal calm tone.

"It was there." She spat back, almost like a cat that lost it's toy.

"So I suppose if I were the door you'd slam me against a wall?" He raised an eyebrow.

Tamara looked to him with eyes that struck his vacant soul, pierced through his heart and reached every inch of his brain. His lungs stopped working for a minute and the world seemed to stop spinning, even for just a moment.

"I suppose that depends."

"On what?" He questioned, the world spinning again, and his body back in control. Which was little next to nothing compared to all the control he lost of his mind and soul.

"On who pissed me off."

"So what you're saying is, that if it were someone else who'd pissed you off, you'd slam me into a wall?"

"Well, no, if you directly pissed me off, and you just so happened to be a door, Sure I'd slam you right into that well ten times without thinking twice." Tamara shrugged, and Melvin's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Without remorse?" He asked, his voice almost nonexistent.

"I'd feel bad afterward...Go check if everything was okay."

"I'm surprised after an act like that, that you'd care about my physical health, considering I am much more strongly built then you." Melvin gave a smirk, playing around with her, and she smiled back.

"I wouldn't check on you, oh no, I'd go see if I broke that poor wall." She laughed and walked off as Melvin sighed, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"But it'd of been my fault the wall broke, considering it was my body that came in contact with it."

"But weren't you a door? Doors have poorly built bodies." She laughed again, and Melvin laughed along with her. When she was like this, he was more relaxed.

Which honestly did more harm than good.

"Well, I'm not a door. But would you still slam me into a wall?"

"Alright, you're not a door. What kind of question is that?"

"You answered it without fail before..."

"WE WERE PRETENDING YOU WERE A DOOR!" She threw her arms in the air, looking at him with a look of questionable sanity.

"Well, it's serious question now." He fought off laughter, and she sighed, her shoulders sinking.

"What reason would I have to? Besides, before I could even touch you, you'd have me pinned against a wall." She looked at him through lowered eyelids, and he smiled.

"You're right. I would."

"Okay, serious question for you as well."

"What?" Melvin asked, and smiled, in a good mood.

"Where do we stand in your eyes?" The good and light mood fell into something denser, and she had him by surprise, as Melvin blinked a few times to get his brain back on track.

"In my eyes? We're wherever I want us to stand. On a mountain, here in the hallway." He shrugged, playing it off. It was answer. Not the one she was looking for, but an answer to her question.

"Relationship wise Melvin..."

"My turn for a question." He wagged a finger, a smirk on his lips.

"When did we begin playing twenty questions?" She complained, but Melvin laughed lightly, deciding on a question more about her.

"What's your favorite color?" He asked, and she sighed again, looking up to his eyes.

"Green. What's yours?" She figured he was ignoring it for a reason and would get her answer later.

"Hmm...Yours is green? I wonder why, but it's my turn to answer, isn't it? I'd have to say purple."

"Purple?" Tamara raised an eyebrow, and he nodded.

"Why is yours green?"

"Because, ivy used to grow up the brick walls of my house when I was a kid, and it covered my window completely, so it's inspired me bit by bit. Most would get sick of it, but back then, that was a promise, a thing that I knew would always be there." She shrugged, and Melvin nodded.

"Touching and deep."

"Hardly, but why is yours purple?"

"Just is. Lilac to be exact, it just...Calls to my fancy." He smiled, and she nodded.

"Won't you tell me about your past, Tamara?" Melvin asked, looking ahead and away from her almost entirely.

"Why should I? That's all people seem to want around here...Isn't it enough to be someone without your past? Must I be judged because what I can't control? What happened so long ago?" She questioned, almost spitefully.

"It was just a question. You should know by now, I'm not like the others."

"Everyone says that when they want something for another reason. And for once I was really thinking something might to be so messed up about this world." Tamara threw him one last acid glance, and sped off down the hall, slamming her room door.

Melvin sighed, he should have known better. She was defensive and careful about where she let people in. They weren't close enough yet, but he couldn't help but be just a bit curious how she came to be. How she developed into something that almost reached into what little of a soul he had left.

He also felt bad for slightly lying to her...But it wasn't really a lie. In a way, him and Marik were connected, but secretly, nothing like Bakura and Ryou, they were clones.

Melvin and Marik however, were not. They only happened to look like each other, thanks to Melvin's blood saving Marik.

Speaking of the very boy Melvin was thinking of, Marik approached him, tapping lightly on his shoulder. In a vacant form, spirit form.

"Melvin."

"Marik, hello." Melvin said, turning. Marik nodded, and looked down from Melvin.

"I wish to tell her...I know I haven't been in the best position to due such, but I can not find anything without getting closer to her, and she has not seen me fight..Fully."

"What you do is your choice, why come to me?"

"Because you are four times my elder. It would be wise-"

"Wise doesn't really matter in this situation, now does it?"

"Not much, no." Marik looked up to him, and Melvin nodded, stepping aside.

"Fair warning, she's upset."

"Upset?"

"You know how she gets. Exactly like a fire would. Dim and bright."

"Explosive, Melvin?"

"Briefly."

"I should wait then. Alright, I'm going back to the group." Marik nodded, and left Melvin's presence.

Melvin slowly walked to Tamara's room and knocked on the door lightly.

"Mara? May I come in?" He asked, his voice flowing like water into Tamara's ears, pouring into her veins and calming her very blood. She didn't feel angry anymore, she only felt happy and energized around Melvin, calm.

"No." She replied, but he came in anyways.

She didn't look to him as he entered the room, and continued staring at the ceiling.

"Tamara...Look at me..." He coaxed, and she fought back looking in his direction.

"Fine, don't look at me. But I know you're listening...I didn't mean it like that. A person isn't judged on their past, and me of all people should know that. I just want to know how..." Melvin stopped, he was just babbling now, and almost said the wrong thing. He almost let his thoughts fall out of his mouth.

"Know how what?" Tamara asked, only slightly glaring at him.

"Nothing."

"No, you were saying something, now go ahead and say it." She demanded, and Melvin sighed, walking over to her bed, and looking down at her.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Yes, and that's to tell me, or get out." Tamara said and Melvin fought a smile, debating to look at the door. Tamara say his eyes flicker towards it, and spoke quickly.

"If you leave I won't ever talk to you again. I'll hate you-"

"Tamara don't be so childish. I was kidding."Melvin sighed, and she calmed down, trying hard to fight the feeling of wanting to pull him down to have his arms wrapped around her. She ignored it, and waited.

"I wanted to know how you came to be this...This woman that grabs a hold of my heart, body and soul, by force, and holds me close to her. Draws my skin to ache for her touch, my ears yearn for her voice, my eyes practically beg for her to be in their sight. Tamara, I want to know how you became so mesmerizing to me..." Melvin whispered, his hand finding hers and intertwining their fingers.

"Why? My past will only ruin who I am for you, besides, its a past that's worthwhile if it's ignored and unheard."

"I don't care what your past is or has been. It doesn't change who you are now, nor who you will be...What matters now, is that you're here..."He kissed her palm and forehead, running his fingertips through her hair gently, and down her jaw line.

Tamara thought for a moment, and as her heart beat slowed down immensely, beating into his skin.

His face lingered towards hers, almost as if he felt her heartbeat slow down, in sync with his own.

"Mara...Are you still mad at me?" He smiled, his eyes softer.

His teeth felt hollow with an aching, a longing, and he ignored it, not wanting to waste a minute away from her when he had such few minutes until they came back. He didn't want to have to go away from her, he liked being by her, it made him have this feeling...A new feeling of rebirth, acceptance, like he could finally let his guard and wall down and just be himself around her.

And he more then anything wanted to be able to have the option to just get up and run away. He knew he should, he knew this road all too well, but he didn't think it would end the same way, and he already put it in Isis' eyesight, if he changed his path at all now, she would say something.

But she didn't want him hurt, and walking away would hurt, more then ever. Having her walk away would make his world fall apart, because now he had something to form it off of, around it. Before he had felt he was missing all the pieces, threw it all away because he was missing one, but it was too early to say such.

"I should go..." He said, realizing his truth, and going back to his calm slate.

"Why?" Tamara asked, and her eyes pleaded into his. He turned his head away, standing up and starting towards the door.

"Don't you hate that word?" He asked, turning his head, but avoiding her as he looked to the wall.

"Sometimes it slips...It's unavoidable..." She sat up, looking to Melvin's figure with a sad feeling.

"And now you don't hate it so much?" He asked, and Tamara thought for a minute.

When it had to do with him, why he was leaving, it hurt more then she hated it. It was a stabbing pain in her heart, which she felt was nonexistent. Being with Melvin confused her, but calmed her and made her understand almost everything. She wasn't sure to trust it, but found herself craving his company in contrast. Melvin was safety, something familiar and nice, someone she could fall apart and unravel with and not be so strong like the rest.

But doing so, she found herself an idiot. She'd been her before, she needed to stop being stupid and get her head out of the clouds.

She shook her head, and sighed.

"Leave." Her voice sounded angry, but she tried for indifferent. The way she should it was him just being a one time thing. The game should be staying away. But she knew the moment she thought that, that she wouldn't be able to. Too many things she had accepted, and one of those things was him. It was already happening again, it all being her stupid fault.

She hadn't realized she had started panting and looking off into space, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. Melvin only debated a moment, and he took a stride towards her, putting a hand on her head.

"Tamara." He said, and she looked up, angry, sad and a little scared. Last time something like this happened...Last time she trusted...No, she wouldn't think of him again. That stupid boy, she wouldn't grant him any part in her mind body or soul, nothing for him.

"What?" She spat, smacking his hand away. He sighed.

"Don't be that way...Quit leaving me out."Melvin closed his eyes, his eyebrows knitting together slightly.

"Out of what?"

"Out of your life. Tamara, I have no idea what you've been through, you've never told me your past. How can I know what I'm doing or right? I HAVE NO IDEA. But I'm going to do my best on not hurting you. Got that? Whatever happened to you, won't happen again." Melvin's words poured out, and he found himself saying more then he'd like. It seemed to work though, and she hugged him around his waist, something she didn't do at all, considering she wasn't big on touching.

Melvin hugged her back, and lifted her chin up to look at him.

He smiled, and as he heard the others come in through the front door, he sighed. His time was up, but at least the dust was settled some.

"I'll see you later, I've got to go greet them. Would you like to come with?"

"Sure..." She said, letting go and going to the door first.

She was silent as she watched the rest of her team come home, crossing her arms across her chest, an indifferent look on her face.

"Tamara. You're awake."

"Why wouldn't I be? With you making all that noise." She sighed, looking away from Akefia. He chuckled, patting her head.

"Glad to see you're still your cranky self."

"You were only gone a few hours, why would I be different?"

"Because you change from hot to cold, you merciless Phoenix." He laughed, and she rolled her eyes.

"Tamara, I need you outside." Melvin said, his voice a bit more calm and husky. A leaders voice, and Tamara's shoulders arched upon hearing it.

"For what?" She turned around and Melvin looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"For something important." He pointed towards the door.

Tamara walked out to find Bakura, Ryou, and Marik.

"Training? Again?" She whined, and Melvin sighed, walking over to them.

"No, but I think it's time you knew a little bit about us. It's a team exercise."

"Oh, goody." She said sarcastic and Melvin shot her a look.

"Behave."

"I can only imagine how you two kept this house clean. She must have been a pain to deal with." Bakura smiled, playing.

"Bakura, I honestly don't need this. Both of you stop. We are here for something serious."

"And what's that?" Ryou asked, looking to Melvin. Melvin looked to Marik, and waved his hand out towards everyone.

"You have the floor Marik."

"I didn't think I'd have to say it in such a public manor."

"They already know, and it's show-and-tell." Melvin smiled to himself, but kept a calm face.

Marik stepped forward, and looked directly to Tamara.

"I've lied." He said, his eyes almost looking into the Phoenix's soul, which Tamara believed was the only soul there.

"Really now, what did you lie about? Being male?" She spat, and Melvin sighed, lightly placing his palm on her head, and leaning his head down to whisper in her ear.

"Apologize, this is serious and he is not your enemy, but your ally."

Tamara grumbled, but looked up to Marik.

"Sorry...Go on." Marik nodded, and continued.

"Me and Melvin aren't clones. Actually, we're only similar because he has my blood." Tamara whipped around to face Melvin, who only shrugged.

"What? You drank from him?" Melvin's eyes widened, and he looked to her with a crazy look.

"NO!Let him explain..." Tamara turned back to Marik, and spoke up.

"What do you mean?"

"Let me finish the whole story..No it goes with all of our back stories...If you're ready to hear them."

"As long as I don't have to say mine, I'm fine."

"You know we could just go back to that damn village you lived in and ask what your problem was, right?" Bakura chuckled and Melvin glared.

"As I was saying, Melvin and I aren't clones, and only look similar because he took a lot of my blood one day..."

"Well don't give me details." Tamara's sarcasm reached his ears, and Marik sighed.

"I fear I don't have time for details, another mission is tonight."

"Well, don't spare them and keep talking."

"Fine. One day, when we were attacked, Melvin was almost killed, and had about half his body torn off and away. He was just a human soldier, who had only been here a few weeks, not long enough to have testing, we didn't have enough DNA for that. But Gremlins were the main force then, and it was an injured one who got Melvin. Akefia had to put in demon's blood and Gargoyle's just to keep his heart beating, and his blood wasn't enough, so he gave him a lot of mine..."

"Human blood would have healed him?"

"No, Tamara, that's what I've been meaning to tell you...I'm a fallen angel..." As Marik said the words, black fathered wings spread from his back and a dark purple and black hue came around his image. A few pieces to a broken halo formed above his head, as long as a shield and long sword that filed his arms. His hair went from blonde to black, and his eyes shown a bright green. He looked to Tamara, and held his breath waiting.

"What does your blood do?" Tamara asked after studying him.

"Angels blood heals anything...And a long time ago, I was assigned to Melvin as his guardian angel. When he came here, I became a fallen angel. Light had burned out in my world, thus in Melvin's world. We are connected, and I consider him my brother."

"What about Isis?"

"Melvin's sister, but welcomes me as a brother as well." Marik said, and Tamara thought about all that had been said.

"Alright then. That's it?" She looked up, and smiled up at him. He smiled back, and looked to Ryou and Bakura.

"Yeah, but on the other hand, they are clones." Ryou looked to Bakura just as Bakura looked to Ryou, and Bakura spoke up.

"I got the good genes though." He laughed and Melvin sighed.

"Alright, story time is over for you Marik. Now-" Melvin began speaking but was cut off by Akefia coming outside.

"Melvin. I need you a minute." He waved Melvin in, and Melvin walked over.

Bakura came next to Tamara, putting a hand on the side of her face and moving her head to look up at him.

"See you later doll face." He winked, and walked away laughed. Tamara scuffed, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Whatever."

"Miss Tamara, I bid you a fair evening." Ryou bowed, a bright smile on his face, and followed after Bakura, leaving her with Marik.

"So fallen angel huh?"

"Phoenix huh?" He half smiled, tilting his head, and She laughed.

"Yeah. Except you know how I got mine, I don't even have to tell you." She laughed lightly, and Marik put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't stress it. You just needed to know our past. I hope you don't hate me still."

"I have a little more of an understand with you, can't say I hate you." She looked at him sideways.

"How would you like to take a trip on the town tonight, with me and Bakura?"

"Seriously?" She sighed, and Marik nodded.

"It'll be fun, come on. I don't think things will get too weird...Just a karaoke bar." He smiled, and Tamara laughed.

"You're kidding. Because you two are such big bad men. Sure why not?" Tamara agreed, and walked inside.

_**An: this chapter was actually cut in half. I mean it already is long enough here, but the second half that was cut off, still needs work I'll get there, but for now, here :)**_

_**DON'T FORGET TO R&R**_

_**I OWN THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, TAMARA, AND THIS story. I DO NOT OWN THE YU-GI-OH CHARACTERS, AND ALL RIGHTS TO THE YU-GI-OH CHARATERS GO TO THE CREATORS. **_

_**I DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE USAGE OF ANYTHING I OWN.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter eleven: Rules are only here to break.**

A little while later, there was a knock on Tamara's door, and Bakura came in, a smile on his face, his posture screaming ready for fun.

"Heard you were coming with us." He said, unable to hide his smile from getting bigger.

"Yeah, is that a problem with you?" Tamara poked back, and Bakura laughed.

"Might be, but you're always buckets of fun."

"And that changes your regular routine?"

"Yup. I wanna' show you a good time." He smiled, patting her head and bending his head down to hers so they were each at eye level.

"Really? If it's anything perverted I swear you'll regret it." She hissed, and Bakura laughed.

"No, nothing like that. Just some friends hanging out, a night on the town. Paint the town red and burn it to the ground. You know, stuff like that." He winked and chuckled.

"I'm not a walking match, dumb-ass."

"I understand that, it was a joke. Now come on, we're gonna' go now." He motioned toward the door, and she followed.

"Alright."

While walking to town, Marik was oddly silent. Bakura knew him better then Tamara, and found it strange. Marik was never this quiet, could it be because of Tamara? Even that shouldn't stop him...Bakura stayed silent though, and as he looked up to Marik, and found Marik looking back at him, he raised an eyebrow, as if to say:

'What's up?'

Marik only shook his head, a smile coming to his face as he looked to Tamara, then looking to Bakura with a devious look in his eyes. Bakura knew right then and there the dark side had taken over, the side that had Melvin's blood, and he had something mischievous up his sleeves.

Having that special connection with Melvin, when Melvin had some of Marik's blood all that time ago, Marik needed to take some of Melvin's blood for it to fully work, trading angels blood for gargoyle's blood. It gave Marik this devilish side, which then gave him mischievous ideas.

One of the things Bakura had fun with. Marik was the best partner in crime when he was like this. But what plan had Tamara involved? Usually Bakura came up with the ideas...He shook it off, and as they came to a stop in front of their destination, Marik spoke up.

"Here, let's go here first." He turned to the other two, and smiled.

Tamara looked to the place he pointed at, and scuffed.

"A bar? Really? I thought you said it would be a karaoke bar." She turned to Bakura, giving him a questionable look.

"I'm sure we'll get there."

"You want a karaoke bar? Alright, this way then." Marik padded off ahead, grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

"Let me go." She said and he laughed, looking back.

"Then follow."

She followed, and pretty soon, they were sitting in a karaoke bar.

"What do you want to drink?" Bakura asked, looking to Tamara.

"They're going to let me drink?" She scuffed, a slight smile coming to her lips. She hadn't drank alcohol before, this would be a new experience. But if it was anything like Heroine, she was ready for it.

"With those tattoos and your hair, You look like a biker. Of course they're going to let you drink. And there's no drinking age here on the Dark Side of the Moon." Bakura said as he waved the waitress over.

It seemed like these were just regular people, like the human world. But Tamara knew better, things had a darker feel to it.

"Yes?" The waitress came over, a bored look on her face.

"We'd like three double sevens please."

"Alright, anything else?"

"Barbeque chicken wings." Marik said, and she nodded, walking off.

"Why don't you go up and sing?" Bakura joked, nudging Tamara lightly.

"What for? So you can make fools of yourselves in the audience?" She scuffed, and Marik sighed, getting up.

"Marik?" Bakura asked, but he walked up to the stage, standing in the spotlight.

He held out a palm to his side, and a black harp appeared next to him in a black smoke cloud. He sat down next to the big harp, and began playing it, humming then singing with an angels voice.

Which could only make sense.

Bakura looked to Tamara, who gaped at Marik. Bakura's eye wandered around the bar, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing, and listened to Marik.

His voice echoed off the walls, and rang through everyone's ears, as the harp continued to strum on, Bakura noticed that the black hue started coming over everyone like a cloud, and he smiled.

"He is an angel after all." Bakura laughed, tipping the rest of his drink back. He tapped Tamara's shoulder, but found the cloud hadn't reached her yet. He pulled her away from the silent smoke, and outside.

"Hey, he was singing..."

"I know, which means we had to get out of there." Bakura said, looking into the window, Tamara gave him a questionable look.

"Because he's making tonight super fun..."Bakura laughed, and looked to the door as Marik left the karaoke bar, looking to them.

"Let's have some fun..." He said, handing her her drink that she never touched.

"You actually expect me to drink this?"

"Bottoms up." He said, clinking his glass to hers and throwing his head back, finishing his in one swig.

Tamara watched him for a moment, and did the same, fighting back the urge to throw up on the after taste.

"Where to next?" She asked, and both Bakura and Marik smiled.

A little while later, at a pub called Throwback, they all sat around a table. Tamara was drunk and stumbling all over the place, Bakura had drinks, but was able to stay from falling over the edge like Tamara had, and Marik was used to it, he was able to control himself.

"I jus' need one more drink..." Tamara mumbled, holding up her finger to Bakura, who smiled and laughed.

"Alright, as many as you want..." Marik said, walking over to get another.

"Tamara, don't you think you'd rather stop now?" Bakura laughed as she almost fell out of her chair.

"Shuddup." She mumbled, glaring at him. He shook his head.

"Come on, you've got enough stumbling going on to dance."

"Dance? HA! Fuggit." She laughed, but stumbled after him as he dragged her along.

He put his hands on her hips, and quickly moved his feet to the fast beat.

"I can't dance..." Tamara slurred, but Bakura put his lips to her ear and whispered:

"Just follow my movements, You'll get it." He assured, and smiled as she listened.

The buzz in his brain lightened up, his conscious saying this was wrong, and he looked at her.

She had her eyes closed, and she had started to feel the beat, moving by herself, her feet stronger with each step.

She twirled out of his arms, moving to the beat in as perfect step she could get with stumbling all over.

Bakura pulled her back, helping her steady herself, and smiled. The buzz came back over his mind, and he started stumbling along.

Tamara laughed, and brought her face to Bakura's kissing him sloppily. He opened his eyes in surprised, but considering she was drunk, he laughed, pulling away. Right now, she was drunk, and not Tamara.

But that was enough for Bakura, and he kissed her back, dancing along some more.

After they were tired out, the made their way back to the table, where Marik was waiting.

"Have fun?" He asked, handing her another drink.

She laughed, and finished it in one go.

"WOOOO!" She yelled, running back into the crowd.

"Should we go get her?" Marik asked, turning to Bakura.

"Nah, let her have fun." Bakura shrugged, smiling.

Melvin sat up, looking down the hall.

Something was up. He just felt it. He knew it. He didn't feel calm, he felt...empty..Lost.

He walked down the hall, stopping at Tamara's door. Should he knock? Was she there? He wasn't sure, and his heart felt as if it were being squished. His teeth grew hallow, and he gripped the doorknob, opening the door quickly.

She wasn't there.

Bakura ordered another round of drinks, and scanned the room for Tamara.

"Do you see her? She's got another drink..." Marik said, searching as well.

"Nope, but she's having fun." Bakura laughed, and suddenly the mood felt denser, darker.

The door slammed open, and Melvin walked in, eyes red and looking directly at Marik and Bakura. He glared, his teeth bared.

Marik looked in fear, and immediately changed back to himself, the presence of Melvin intense and frightening. He had worn himself out with drinking and what not. This night on the town was at an ugly end.

Melvin walked over to them.

"Where. Is. She?" He asked, his voice low, but a growl. He grabbed Bakura by the collar, and Bakura tried to keep focus, his brain buzzed.

"Melvin...Calm down...We were jus' havin' some fun." Marik slurred, the buzz taking full force.

"You're a bunch of drunk idiots! Imbeciles! No good useless pieces of shit! Just having fun? FUN?" Melvin hissed, but calmed down a bit, speaking up again.

"Now, I'll ask again. Where. Is. She." Acid poured out his mouth each word dripping off his tongue like rain drops off a glass window.

"She went into the crowd-" Bakura began to say, but stopped when they say Tamara jump on one of the tables and start dancing.

All three of them gaped, surprised.

"YOU. GOT. HER. DRUNK!" Melvin hissed, but didn't look away from her.

"We didn't think she was that drunk!" Bakura lied. Melvin let him go, and looked over the crowd of people that surrounded Tamara.

He watched for a minute, but started glaring back at them as the crowd started chanting her name and she kicked off her sneakers, Melvin catching one. He sighed, one last growl towards Marik and Bakura, and made his way through the crowd.

Tamara jumped down, running to the bar and sliding down it to jump off the end.

"Hey lady! Calm down!" The bartender reached for her wrist, her marks red. She laughed and moved just out of his reach, giving Melvin a brief second relief. If he would have touched her wrist and burned his hand, he wouldn't know what would happen.

She jumped up on another table, taking a shot off of someones head and throwing her shirt into the crowd and jumping into the crowd to crowd surf. Melvin waited at the end, and lifted her away from the crowd. He put her on her feet, and she turned to face him, a little wobbly, but she managed to be on her own feet.

"Melvin! What are you...Doing here?" She slurred, stumbling and giggling.

"I came to get you." He said, looking away from her as he took of his leather jacket and handed it to her. She giggled again and looked at the jacket.

"Wanna' have a drink-" She hiccuped, but continued:

"With me?" She laughed, and threw the jacket in the air.

"No, and put the jacket on, we're leaving."

"Why? Can't I have..." She stumbled, and Melvin caught her, handing her the jacket again.

"One more!" She screamed, laughing her head off.

"No, you're already drunk enough."

"I'm not drunk!" She pointed a finger at him, as she tried to focus as her head spun and her vision blurred, and she shook her head, trying to stop her vision from multiplying.

"Tamara, look at yourself, you're a mess." Melvin said, sighing.

"There's nothing wrong with me..."Tamara looked down at herself, finding that in fact, Melvin was right. She didn't want to admit it though, and looked back up to Melvin. He raised an eyebrow, and she crossed her arms.

"Tamara, come on. You've had enough fun. These idiots have done enough harm, just go home." Melvin sighed, thankful he was out of Bakura's and Melvin's earshot, but knew they were watching them. He couldn't do anything like hug her, or convince her like he had that morning.

"What-" Melvin cut her off by grabbing her wrist and pulling her along towards Marik and Bakura.

"You two better be THANKFUL it was me who came and NOT Akefia. HE would have done much worse." He said as he hit them over the head.

"Well, we're lucky as Irishmen! Only kitty-cat Melvin found us!" Bakura laughed, speaking with an Irish accent. Defiantly drunk, him and Marik laughed.

Melvin glared, and slammed his other hand on the table, the drinks jumping just a tiny bit.

"You two better be home in fifteen minutes. Or I'm going to find you, and drag you back. And if I have to do that, _your_ group training won't be so easy and light."

"Oh whoop de doo. Harder training. Thanks for making us stronger for your next punishment Melvin." Marik raised his glass up to Melvin, and Melvin's eyes shone brighter, the faintest glow of the golden eye showing.

Marik hit Bakura, and Bakura stopped laughing, noting it as well.

"Alright, We'll go home now, just calm down...Please." Marik begged, knowing if the eye fully shown, it wouldn't end well, and blood would be everywhere. A massacre would be made of this entire bar.

Melvin glared once again, and dragged himself and Tamara out of there.

Melvin opened Tamara's room window, and motioned her in. Everyone else should be asleep, and he didn't want them knowing that Tamara had slipped. Especially Akefia. He would smoke all their asses, Tamara, Bakura, Marik AND Melvin.

Tamara crawled in, and yawned. She fell back on her bed, breathing gently as Melvin sighed, looking down at her. He still radiated anger, and the eye was every so slightly forming.

"Melvin." Tamara said, and Melvin looked to her, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked, his voice sharp and quick.

"Are you going to stay here tonight?" She asked, and Melvin stopped. Staying tonight would be incredibly dangerous. With the Egyptian eye on the verge of taking over, he couldn't take that risk.

"I don't think so." He crossed his arms, and Tamara frowned.

"Do you hate me that much...?" Tamara mumbled, and looked up with tear filled eyes. Melvin held his tongue, and reminded himself that if he did stay, she could end up dead with just one swift move.

But his heart beat once, aching his chest.

The tears fell, and she looked away from him. She was still drunk, which is why emotions ruled her right now, but Melvin closed his eyes for a moment.

"Tamara, it would be a serious danger...You could die..."

"How?" She asked, hiccups starting up.

"Because, with the Egyptian Eye in my DNA...I can turn cold any moment. I can't control myself when it takes over, and you've witnessed this first hand." Melvin chocked on the last words, remembering it with pain. He didn't want to hurt her again...

"Well I don't care! I feel sick, I'm a freakin' mess, and you've always been there.." She broke out into a sob fest, and Melvin took a minute to calm himself down.

He forced himself into a calm state, and the Egyptian Eye faded away into his skin. He breathed, feeling ready to pass out, but sat next to Tamara.

"You're...Staying?" She asked, the sobs lightening up.

"Yeah..."Melvin breathed, and she threw her arms around him, burring her face in his chest. Melvin patted her head, and pulled her away.

"Only if you sleep." He held up a finger, and she frowned.

"I'm not tired..." Tamara said quietly, and Melvin sighed.

"I'm not staying here for fun. You need sleep, and if I'm the cause of you _not_ getting sleep, I'll remove myself."

"No!" Tamara jumped up and squeezed him tight in her arms.

"Tamara..." Melvin warned, but she didn't let go.

"You're always so proper..."Tamara slurred, hiccuping and continuing.

"You're always 'you don't get sleep Tamara', 'you should sleep Tamara'. Well what if I don't want to? Huh?" She asked, and Melvin looked down at her with really no expression.

"You're really that drunk, aren't you?"

"I ain't drunk!"

"You're drunk enough to not know that's not a word."

"Well maybe I jus' speak this way."

"Well maybe I should go to let you be drunk and stubborn by yourself." Melvin started to get up, but she held on tighter.

She didn't say anything, and Melvin sighed.

"I'll stay, but for the sake of fighting, just go to sleep."

"But this is the only time I really get to see you..." She said quietly. Melvin stopped, his heart beating once, a rock in his chest. He swallowed, and his hands ran through her hair, gently resting on her lower back.

He wasn't sure what to say. She was right, this was the only real time they got to see each other, without being watched by Akefia or the rest of the group. Melvin knew this problem would come up, but didn't expect it so soon. Especially not when she was this drunk. People who are drunk shouldn't be this understanding...

Melvin looked down at Tamara to looking up at him, half asleep.

"Take the jacket off, you'll sleep better." He whispered, and she opened her eyes a little wider. She nodded, and started taking it off.

Melvin looked away, and took of his shirt, handing it to her.

"But this is yours..."She mumbled, her lips barely moving.

"Put it on, it's not like it's infected...And I don't want you to get up." She didn't say anything, and when Melvin felt her hands grab one of his, he almost smiled.

She rested her head on his chest, and drifted off. She breathed softly, snoring a little, but Melvin found it cute.

He looked up to the skylight, thinking.

Was this all a mistake? You could call it 'sneaking around', but Melvin didn't want to even think of it that way. Besides, it's not like they were, Akefia didn't own her.

But, almost, Melvin sort of did.

He frowned at the thought. Something like her, young, unsure, still brand new to the human world and this world, belonging to something so...So...So horrible. So monstrous, something like him. Something dangerous, wise, something this world and the human world had dealt with and made rough. Something so unpromising, something that couldn't provide her with the life she needed, something that would only destroy her, something that created the shadows, and lurked in them all it's life.

Something she needed to stay away from. Something he should keep away.

Melvin frowned, thinking of getting up, but stopped. It wouldn't feel right being away from her, wouldn't be right. He would know it in his heart.

And maybe he could change this something that was bad for her, maybe he could change to something good. Maybe he could do his best to be better for her. He could at least try.

But could he change something he had been for so long? What he was, was in his DNA, in his soul now. He'd been with it too long, and even before that, he was a human monster. He was a human disaster, a walking hell.

He stopped his mind right there. That was enough foolish thoughts. What he needed to worry about now, was her. What would being drunk do to the Phoenix? How bad would she be effected tomorrow?

They were idiots and stupid for doing this to her.

Melvin ground his teeth, and closed his eyes. He'd deal with them later, right now, he needed sleep as well. With almost being taken over, and him losing energy from not..

He forgot again. That's why it was so hard to fight it off.

He sighed, finding he couldn't move without waking her up, and prayed he wouldn't slip.

He looked to her one last time, and thought for a minute.

"I can be your...hero..." He breathed a whisper, going silent to make sure he didn't wake her. When he was sure she was still asleep, he continued.

"Am I in too deep...?

Have I lost my mind...?

I don't care...

You're here...tonight..." He whispered silently, kissing her forehead.

He smiled, and closed his eyes, holding Tamara in his arms.

Bakura and Marik walked home in silence.

"Bakura?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened tonight?" Marik asked, his face unreadable.

"What do you mean?"

"With Melvin...He's never..."

"I know, but Kyrah never came with us."

"I told you not to say that she-devils name."

"Well, it's the truth. She never did. So, I guess they're really making sure it's not a repeat.."

"But why try so hard? Let her be her and she won't turn out like that...It's almost as if treating her like that will turn her into her..."

"Well, we aren't in charge..."

"Maybe we should be." Marik said spitefully.

"I disagree, I like having these fun days. Akefia never has fun like this."

"True, and just think of all that paper work we'd have to fill out."

They both looked at each other, as if thinking the same thing.

"I'm glad we're not in charge." Bakura laughed, and Marik nodded.

"Yeah, besides, then we wouldn't be best friends." He punched his arm lightly, and Bakura smiled.

"Then can I trust you?"

"With what?" Marik looked at him, questionable.

"A secret."

"I suppose. You know all of mine...Didn't know you had secrets Bakura." He laughed, but Bakura stayed silent.

"If someone kisses you when you're drunk, does it count?"

"Count for what?"

"As a real kiss. I mean, compared to a genuine kiss when they're coherent and under their own control."

"When did you turn cheesy?" Marik chuckled, but realized he was serious.

"You're serious...Who kissed you?"

"Tamara. When we were dancing..."

"Oh." Marik looked ahead, a surprised look.

"Yeah."

"Well."

"I don't know." Bakura answered the question on Marik's mind before he could form the words.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. It doesn't count." He reassured, shrugging it off.

"I mean, if you like her..."Marik trailed off.

"No, no I don't."

"We could let her hang out with us more..."Marik tried again.

"Melvin would kill us, and I don't like her Marik. _I don't._"

"Alright, you had me worried for a minute there." Marik laughed nervously.

"Sorry." Bakura chuckled.

"You had me going there for a minute. I mean, YOU of all people falling? It was..."

"Stupid? I know." Bakura finished, but Marik held up his palms, shaking them.

"No, no. It would be something...new. I've just seen you make ten's beg man, and then for you to just go and fall for Tamara would be weird...That's all."

Bakura thought about it, and nodded.

"Really weird."

"Totally weird." The walked in silence the rest of the way.

_**AN: alright so this chapter was cut in half, and kind of easy to write.**_

_**I DON'T OWN THE YU-GIOH CHARACTER'S BUT I DO OWN THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON AND TAMARA. NO ONE CAN USE ANYTHIGN I OWN.**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters © their creators**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Down with the Sickness**

Melvin woke up, it being just about sunrise, and sighed as he looked to find Tamara looking up at him.

"Good morning." He laughed, and she smiled back.

"Hey." Her voice sounded hoarse, and Melvin frowned.

"Are you alright?" He asked, and Tamara's heart beat slow as she realized his face got closer. She cleared her throat, and spoke again.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yeah, I was just worried about you..."

"For what?" She asked, and then it came back to her, her head suddenly weighing a million pounds.

She dropped her head as it pounded in pain, and closed her eyes.

"It just hit you, didn't it? Yeah, THAT was what I was worried about. Why...Why did you agree to do that to yourself? I.." Melvin stopped, sighing,and Tamara looked down at herself, finding she was wearing Melvin's shirt. She blushed a little bit, and looked up to him.

"I'm wearing your shirt?" She looked to his chest, which she was laying on, and blinked a few times.

"You don't remember anything from last night, do you?" He asked, and she blushed again her eyes widening.

"Should I?" Melvin gave her a funny look, but laughed a little, looking away.

"Not really. You know, you only married me..." He smiled, looking to her as her eyes widened. She quickly looked to her hand, finding no ring and then back to him.

"I-I-I-NO!" She almost yelled, and Melvin laughed, speaking up.

"I was kidding. Calm down Mara." He smiled, putting a hand on hers. She pulled it away, glaring up at him.

"That wasn't funny."

"I'm sorry...But last night, I really don't expect you to remember...You went out to party with Marik and Bakura...You all got drunk. You were the most drunk, and went crazy...You threw your shirt into the crowd, your shoes into the crowd, and were dancing on tables...I'm not sure what all that intoxication did to the Phoenix..." Melvin sighed, obviously upset.

Tamara went wide eyed.

"The last thing I remember...Is taking shots." She said, and Melvin slapped his forehead.

"What did you drink?"

"I'm not even sure..." She blinked a few times trying to remember, and Melvin spoke up again.

"Alright, well, I've got to go..." He started to get up.

"Where? Why?" She asked, grabbing his arm and wrapping her arm around it. He slid out of her grip and she wrapped her arms and legs around his leg. He sighed.

"Akefia can't know Tamara...He can't know you were drunk, and he can't know that I stay here at night with you." Tamara tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

She didn't want him gone, she didn't want him to leave now. She held on tighter, and Melvin tensed up, grinding his teeth.

"Tamara...That hurts..." He sounded strained, and she looked up to him, but he had his eyes closed as she looked down to her marks burning bright.

She let go immediately.

"I'm so sorry!" She whispered, looking up to him, and he gave her a weary smile.

"It's alright...It's not like you won't seem me again." He patted her head, and walked out of the room.

She looked to the shut door, and frowned to herself. Sure, she would see him during the day, but not like at night. It was the whole reason she fought of sleep, the whole reason she actually slept.

Nonetheless, she got into her pajamas and snuggled in her blankets, sleeping for just a while longer.

Akefia breathed silently in his dark room, thinking.

There was another mission today, but he couldn't bring everyone...But in a way, he had to. Without all of them, they were weak. Right now, they were a perfect team, in balance with what the other was missing, covering almost all of the bases of what they needed. And now with Tamara, they had extra power. She would be useful for brute force from above, but he still wondered all the Phoenix could do.

He'd have to experiment.

Akefia got up, and walked over to his desk, his hand carefully finding the lamp, turning it on, and opening the second drawer.

He took out the picture, holding it in his hands, and sighed.

He looked at it, a sad smile on his face, shaky as he started tearing up. He wished to see her...But that wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. Besides, now he had Tamara...

He walked outside, looking up to the still visible moon, and sighed.

"Akefia." A voice came from behind that Akefia all too well."

"You've come for a visit?" He asked, not turning, but smiling.

"A short one. I don't want the others to see me right now, but I came to see you."

"I feel so special." He chuckled, turning to his friend.

"What can I do for you?" He asked, and walked into the forest.

A little while after their goodbye's, Akefia realized that it was almost time for their mission. He looked to the facility, walking in, finding almost everyone ready.

Except Melvin.

"Where's Melvin?"

"Melvin? I thought he was in his room..."Ryou looked away from his conversation with Tamara, and pointed to Melvin's hallway.

Akefia walked to Melvin's room, and knocked on the door, entering the room after he got no reply.

"Melvin?" He peered in the dark room, and saw the familiar yellow eyes look back from the bed.

"Hmm?"

"We have a mission today...Are you feeling up to it?"

"No." Melvin's voice sounded hoarse, and Akefia nodded.

"Alright." He shut the door and walked to the others.

"Melvin's not coming today...So, let's get a move on."

"Why does he get to stay? If we ever complained to be sick, you'd make us go."

"For starters, Melvin never backs out like this. And secondly, he's got a real excuse for being sick. You never do."

That shut Bakura up, and they were on their way.

"Tamara to your left!" Marik yelled, and she swerved away from a poisonous dart. She heaved a sigh of relief, and looked to Akefia, who gritted his teeth.

"Alright team, fall in!" Akefia called on the radio connection they all had in their ears, and everyone landed near him in the human forest.

"Tamara, what's up? You're reactions are delayed."

"Just tired..." She said, which was the truth, aside from being hung over.

"Tamara go home, we can't have you slowing everyone else down watching out for you." Akefia said, and she nodded, Ryou leading her to the pathway.

"Sorry about that..."He said, and she shrugged.

"Akefia's an ass." She said as if it were a normal thing.

Ryou laughed.

"Yeah, at some points. He just want's the target, that's all. What's the matter anyways? I've never seen such dark circles under your eyes."

"Nothing. And that's kind of creepy that you pay attention."

"Well, I was studying to be a doctor, so I look for symptoms of sickness." Ryou shrugged, and Tamara nodded.

"Well then." Tamara said as she tripped, falling down.

"Tamara?" Ryou caught her arm.

"Ouch..."

"Are you okay?" Ryou looked to her, searching her eyes.

"Yeah...Just...really tired.." She said as her stomach tried to send up breakfast.

"Uh-oh..."Tamara said, and dropped to the ground.

"Tamara...I think I better get you home soon..."Ryou said, helping her up again.

"Yeah, how far...?" She looked around, not finding any of this brush familiar.

"I think..We got lost..."Ryou looked around as well.

"Well...Shit." Tamara blinked a few times, looking to Ryou.

"What do we do?" She asked.

"Well, I have a few plans. But I'm not sure how close we are to civilization..."

"Couldn't we just call them on the radios?" Tamara asked, and Ryou shook his head.

"We're too close to a human radio station, we'll only transmit and get signals from there." He said, pointing to the big radio tower just a few yard in front of them.

"Oh..."She said, and Ryou nodded.

"If you could change into a Phoenix, they'd see us, but so would the humans..." He pondered, and Tamara sat on a rock.

"Can't you open the portal back to the Dark Moon?"

"No, I'm only a medic. Marik, Isis, Melvin and Akefia learned how to do that...I went to medical studies..."

"What else are you? Besides human and Bakura's original?"

"Me? I'm an elf..." He said, removing his hair from his ear and revealing pointy ears.

"Oh..."Tamara gaped, touching his ear.

"Yeah...Which is why I also know so much more then humans...And other then being my clone, Bakura went into fighting styles, being my opposite, and went for warrior. He's got something else as well, but at the moment, it's not the time to speak of such in the human world."

"Well, you'll have to tell me more later..."

"Indeed I will."

Tamara fell silent, and looked around.

"Well, I can scorch the trees to try to find a way back..."

"Wait! That's it! When you almost got hit! You scorched the trees, and when you landed by Akefia your feet scorched that branch. And when we came in through the portal..."

"My feet touched the ground!"She exclaimed, and they went off searching for the burn marks.

They had no luck, but at least got back in range for the radio's with the rest of the team.

And pretty soon, Tamara was home, and Ryou went back to the mission.

She sighed at the quiet house, debating on knocking on Melvin's door to see what was wrong, but decided against it.

She walked to her room, and as she opened the door, she looked to her bed, where Melvin sat up.

"Melvin?" She asked, surprised. He held his arms open, her blankets draped around him, and she walked over, looking at him.

"I thought you were in your room...?"

"I came in here." He said, as he pulled her into his arms, laying them both down.

"Why?"

"Because being near you makes me feel better, and this was as close to you as I could get with you on a mission." Melvin smiled, kissing her cheek, but regretting it as his teeth felt hollow again, and he snapped his mouth shut, his stomach and body feeling as if it were ripping itself apart.

"Melvin?" Tamara sounded alarmed as he gripped his stomach, trying to keep his body in one piece and not rip into pieces. She looked to his face, and when he opened his eyes, they were red.

"You're eyes are red...Melvin what's wrong?" She asked, and Melvin spoke quietly, barley moving his lips, fear the Egyptian Eye would try to take over.

"I need food..."

"Food? Haven't you been eating?" Tamara asked, and Melvin shook his head.

"I don't eat regular food like all of you...I eat...Different kinds of food." He danced around the truth, and Tamara looked at him with an odd look.

"Then what do you eat?" She asked, confused. He sighed, finding it hard to keep this from her right now, and decided on the truth.

"Tamara, demons and gargoyles drink blood..." Tamara's eyes went wide, and she understood.

"Oh...Hence the time I was testing..."She mumbled, and Melvin nodded, frowning from both pain and making her uncomfortable.

"Well, uh...You...You could drink me if it's this bad..." She said quickly, and Melvin's eyes snapped open wide.

"What?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

"Well, I-I-I-I don't want you to die! And it doesn't look like you're going to be able to hunt or whatever it is you do to get….blood...But only this once!" She held up a finger, and Melvin gaped.

He didn't want to feed off her.

"Tamara...I...NO. No...No. I can't. Not you."

"What's wrong with my blood? Can you not drink it?"

"No-I...I..."Melvin didn't have the energy to explain.

"Only once...I promise."He said, and she nodded, leaning towards him. He sat on the floor next to her bed, breathing evenly for a minute.

He took a moment to calm himself even a little bit, still feeling as if he was going to be ripped in two from inside, and as she moved her hair back, he held up a hand.

"No, not somewhere visible..."He said, getting weaker by the second. He looked at her carefully, and put his hand to the side of her stomach.

"Somewhere I can cover it up?" She asked, and he nodded. She only thought for a second, but nodded.

"If you need it."

"I'm only going to take a little...Just enough to make it until I get another source..."

"Melvin, before you die, just hurry up and get it over with."He nodded, biting.

At first, his mouth burned, the Phoenix trying to stop him, but Tamara held it back. The blood poured into his mouth, filling his teeth and mouth, pouring into what seemed his whole body. It was warm from the Phoenix, satisfying every inch of him. He still had some control, being careful not to take too much, and listened to her breathing for comfort and to stay in control, his heart starting to beat normally.

As his teeth sunk into her skin, her stomach burned, the mark on her stomach shining bright red, almost as if flames were just beneath her skin, and her throat followed the burning feeling.

She could feel him taking blood, almost as if part of her soul was going with her blood into him. She fought back the Phoenix soul, which was trying to send fire into his teeth instead of blood, and almost screamed as it continued. It hurt. His teeth, and the fact he was taking blood. She covered her mouth to stop her from screaming, and tensed up, almost locking up her bones and joints.

Melvin growled once, as if telling her not to do that. It hurt more when she did, and she tried to calm down and not lock up her body. He grabbed her hand, and she squeezed it tightly with her other hand. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, to her surprise he could still move his hand.

She closed her eyes, feeling as if his teeth got bigger as he drank more blood, and the corners of her eyes grew damp.

"Tamara..."Melvin whispered, and she looked to him, tears streaming down her face now.

She felt the pain lighten up until it eventually stopped, and sighed, happy it was over with.

"That hurt..."She felt lightheaded and dizzy, but shook it from her head, letting the Phoenix heal her skin and body.

"I'm sorry...But thank you...You were very brave to let me do that..." He rested his head on the mattress. She nodded, and Melvin looked down.

"I'm so sorry...Tamara...I...I shouldn't have done that..."Melvin shook his head in shame, and Tamara put her hand on his head, gently stroking his hair.

"It's okay...Don't be ashamed, and don't feel bad...I offered and you needed it...It was a one time thing..."She tried to assure, but her stomach ached in protest. She ignored it, and gave a weary smile as he looked up to her. She still held his hand, and he crawled next to her, kissing her.

"Tamara...Thank you so much...I...It...I-" She cut him off with a kiss of her own, and he looked at her with sad eyes.

"I promise I'll never feed off you again..."He said, and his heart felt good, beating in his chest. He didn't want to drink from her, and felt bad for doing such, but wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her gently.

"Melvin...Your heart...It's beating..."She gaped. She had never realized that it beat so much...

And until now, didn't realize it beat at all.

"My body needs blood to function, since I had only half of mine when I had the DNA transfer with Marik's blood and then then DNA with the Gargoyle's and Demon's. So when I get blood, my heart beats normally...Without blood, it only beats slowly or not at all...I'm still alive, it's just like a clock to tell me when I need to eat." Melvin said, and she nodded.

"How come you never told me before...about all this? And why didn't you eat if you knew you needed to!" She scolded, and Melvin sighed.

"I suppose now would be the time to tell you...?"

"No shit!"

"Alright, well...That's why I was sick. I get sick if I don't eat, like humans and others do, and as you've seen. For the last two questions...they have the same answer..."

"And what answer is that?" She asked, and Melvin sighed deeply. He didn't want to tell her, but he had to.

"I didn't want to seem like a monster to you..."

She fell silent, and he listened to her breathing as she thought it over.

"Melvin..."

"Yes?" He looked down to her, to find her glaring.

"TO HELL WITH WHAT I THINK! YOU SHOULD FUCKING EAT!" She yelled, and Melvin's face went to a calm line.

"Alright." He rested his chin on the top of her head, and breathed with her. Feeling replenished with her blood.

"You should know by now..."She whispered, and Melvin looked down to her.

"Know what?"

"That I wouldn't care..."She said, putting her forehead to his and lightly bumping their noses. Melvin's eyes widened, and she smiled.

Melvin smiled back, relieved a bit.

"You're sure about that?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm a monster too..."

"You are?"

"Rawr." She said, giggling. Melvin smiled, and closed his eyes.

He chuckled, opening his eyes again to reveal they were now back to their normal yellow.

"So what blood is the best?" She asked, and Melvin sighed.

"You're really going to ask me questions about this?"

"I don't see why not, so yes."

"Human blood is the best..." Melvin said, and Tamara stopped.

"Wait...I was part human...Does that mean...?"

"Not exactly, no. You still have the Phoenix blood in you, which tainted it."

"What did it taste like?"

"Like cinnamon, and fire." He chuckled a bit, and she nodded.

"Was it good?"

Melvin froze. He wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm not sure what to say..."He said honestly.

"No, I mean was it just as good as Human blood?" Melvin still bit his tongue a little bit, but spoke up anyways.

"Not exactly. Like I said, your human self was completely tainted with the Phoenix..."

"So I'm no good?" She said as a smile appeared on her lips, she laughed a little bit.

"I wouldn't say that..."He kissed her neck and smiled up at her, more playful now.

She laughed, and smiled at him.

"I'm glad I could help."

"Thank you." He said again, and felt as if he couldn't say it enough. What she did was dangerous, but extremely brave.

"So, what now?"

"Now? Now we stay here until they get back..."

"Oh..."She said, and Melvin gave her a questionable look.

"What did you want to do?"

"Well, it's just...Never mind."

"What?"

"No, never mind." She shut her mouth, and he sighed.

"Tamara, what is it?"

"Well, it's just I've never been in your room...We're always in mine..." She pouted, and Melvin looked to her eyes.

"You want to see my room? Alright, come one then." He grabbed her hand, and led her to his room.

_**Authors note: Maybe I'm just crazy, but I love this chapter more and more by the word :D**_

_**Every time I think I love a certain chapter, the next one is better 0.o **_

_**I'm even surprising myself with my awesome writing XD**_

_**That's amazing :p**_

_**But in this chapter, it gave a LOT more insight to Melvin and Tamara (in my opinion) and I honestly can't say I'm more happy with a chapter then my recent stories. By the way, thank you for reading ^^**_

_**Read and review, :p**_

_**Yu-gi-oh Characters © their creators**_

_**Dark Side of the Moon, Tamara, and this story/alternate universe © Me, and I do not allow anyone else to use this without my permission**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter thirteen: Surprises aren't so Surprising. **

He stopped at the door, and looked back to her. He didn't say anything, and opened the door.

The room was dark, and when Melvin flicked the light on, there wasn't really anything special.

"My room." He extended a hand out towards it, and Tamara smiled.

"It's comfy." She looked around.

"It's a room." He shrugged.

"Why don't we stay in here?"

"Akefia feels welcome to open the door at anytime, and we can't risk that." Melvin said, and Tamara's hand slipped out of his as she curled up in his blankets.

"Mm." She said, laughing a bit. Melvin sighed, walking over to her.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?" He asked, and ran the back of his hand down her face gently.

"I'm snuggling in your blankets." She laughed, and Melvin smiled.

"Come on, before they get back home."

"But why? Akefia hasn't bothered you at all at night."

"I fear he may already know I'm not sleeping in my own bed...Which I should be doing..."He added quietly, and Tamara frowned.

She didn't say anything, and he sighed.

"Doesn't mean I can." He smiled, and she smiled back, yawning.

"You should get some sleep, come on now..."

"Will you be there?"

"As long as Akefia isn't I will be. When everyone else goes to bed, I'll come back."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He swept down and kissed her forehead gently, picking her up with his arms and carrying her to her room. She smiled lightly all the way there, dozing off.

Bakura looked to Ryou, and sighed.

"Hey Ryou?" Ryou turned, surprised.

"Yes?"

"Need any help picking herbs?" He asked causally.

"You've never offered before...What do you want?" He sighed, looking over the rims of his glasses at Bakura.

"Honestly, I just want to help." Bakura held out his palms in a non threatening way, and smiled up sheepishly, blinking up at Ryou.

"You never just want to help, you're my clone, and my complete opposite, I should know you want something, and you use 'helping' to get it."

"Well, you really _hit_ the books, didn't you? I honestly just want to help, like I said."

"And when did you start to become an honest man?"

"Right now." He laughed, but Ryou rolled his eyes.

"You can help by going away then. I don't need you messing up my studies."

"Since when did you become-...Since when did you have the backbone to tell me to leave? You should be SCARED of me."

"And why's that? I've always bent to your every need, because I actually used to think since you were my clone, that we'd get along sooner or later, but maybe you're just an ass. Maybe you're my clone and my complete opposite, but you will never, ever be my friend."

"We aren't friends? Huh, guess I've just been in the dark this whole time then, eh?"

"You were born from the dark within me, my personality was splitting in two, so Akefia made you from it. In many ways, he damned us all."

"Oh, yeah, I'm really sure. Damned, ha! More like saved us all from you going psycho and killing everyone one! Without me, you would be nothing! NOTHING!"

"I can be EVERYTHING without you! IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE!"

Bakura ground his teeth, but resorted to the only thing he really knew, and he swung a fist at Ryou, hitting him square in the jaw, his glasses flying across the field.

"Say that again, I DARE YOU." Bakura hissed, his voice low and dangerous.

"Without me. You would be NOTHING." Ryou said, punching back with equal force, something Bakura hadn't expected.

And from then, they started brawling, yelling, screaming, biting, punching, kicking, and wrestling. Although Bakura had brute force, and Ryou had brain force, each were an equal match, until a dark shadowy figure coming forth. The figure slammed a fist to Bakura's stomach, sending him back a few feet, and Ryou got served a kick to the back of the knee.

They both looked up to find an assassin standing there, wearing all black clothing, and a blue scarf over his nose and mouth.

"Who are you?" Ryou asked as Bakura tried to charge the man, Bakura himself turning black skinned and purple eyes, the dark elf form: A drow.

As Bakura seemed to hit an almost spot on kick and punch midair, the man didn't flinch or move.

Bakura hadn't even hit him.

"Huh?" Bakura asked, looking at his fist, where the mans face should be.

"Stop. Fighting." The man said, and Ryou stood up, limping a bit on his knee.

"Who are you? Bakura don't attack him."

"I am Allen. Assassin of shadows."

"Ohhhh, big and bad assassin man..."Bakura scuffed, and got another punch to the stomach.

"Bakura, stop it." Ryou glared, and Bakura made a face, but did nothing more.

"Alright, I'm Ryou, and this is Bakura. We're members of a group our boss started-"

"Yes, Akefia sent for me from my hometown."

"Oh? So you know already?"

"Yes."

"Well...I guess...Akefia's inside waiting for you then." Ryou pointed behind him, but Allen didn't move.

"What was the quarrel about?"

"Clone quarrel. Nothing to worry about, besides I'm sure Akefia must be-"

"Oh Allen! You've arrived safely!" Akefia smiled bright, patting Allen on the back.

"Yes. Hello."

"I see you've met Bakura and Ryou, let's go show you the others-"

"If I may intrude, Akefia?"

"Yes Ryou?"

"What is he doing here? Do we have another-"

"Yes, He's here for another mission. But he'll only be with us part time, Isis was busy, and I couldn't find anyone better-"

"I assure you NO ONE will be a better assassin." Allen said, and Akefia smiled brighter, laughing a bit.

"Which is why I hired YOU. Welcome to the group!"

As soon as they left, Bakura glared at Ryou.

"You're a piece of shit." He scuffed, and Ryou raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, you were MADE from this piece of shit." Ryou said, and went back to picking herbs for his next medicine.

Bakura mumbled and mimicked his voice while he walked away, and went to Marik.

Tamara slept soundly for most of the night, and awoke once Melvin slipped into the room.

"I didn't mean to wake you." He said, and she shrugged, sleepily blinking up at him in the darkness.

"We have a new part time member...His name is Allen, and he is an assassin."

"Akefia's so power crazy..."Tamara scuffed, and Melvin smiled, his yellow eyes shinning brightly in the shadows of her room.

"Isn't everyone?"

"Are you?"

"Sure, I'd love a little more power."

"Don't you have enough power over everything?"

"I don't have any power over everything."

"I could disagree. Everything...changes..."Tamara yawned, and Melvin shook his head.

"Sleep."

"I can't...You're here." She stated, and he sighed.

"Maybe I shouldn't be...If I'm-"

"Stop." She said, and he felt her glare from across the room. He smiled, and put his hands up, palms facing her, for only a moment to show he wouldn't continue.

"As you wish...But Tamara, I implore you to sleep tonight...For me?"

"Only if you're in here."

"I am in here. So, you will sleep?"

Her silence told him that he had just pointed out the obvious, and that she actually wanted to sleep in his arms, something he didn't agree with currently.

"...Please...?" She asked, her voice light and childlike almost, sweet in a way that made his shoulders sank and he turned his head, letting out a quiet groan.

"Don't say it like that..."He said, almost feeling guilty for not being by her already. Her silence filled him with anxiety, and he made haste to kneel by her bed immediately.

She looked into his yellow eyes, that were full of regret and devotion to her, that something told her it wasn't fully willingly.

"I implore you once more...To sleep?"

She said nothing, actually quite falling asleep herself, and he, almost reluctantly- but still willing- put his arms around her, making her scoot over.

Tamara smiled, satisfied, and went to sleep.

Allen sat on the roof, and pretty soon, once the sun rose, blinked away thoughts of how he got here. He was summoned, but it seemed with this world, he hadn't even begun to scratch the surface. No amount of research and stories would ever prepare anyone to live in such darkness.

Not even living in Ethen's darkness and evil could prepare such a man.

He rose to his feet, and walked back to the door, taking once last glance at the purple sky and green sun.

He walked into the kitchen to find a girl with red hair and tattoos of Phoenix marks and rings of fire all over, even right down to the Phoenix crown.

He staggered a bit, stepping back. Who was this? Was this the other member Akefia talked about? He had heard of such legends of someone like this...But was it true? Were these really Phoenix marks? Or just tattoos? He shook his head clear and took a step forward, clearing his throat.

She jumped back from the frying pan, grease popping as she realized he was there as well, and whipped around to reveal the red eyes that looked like fire was just beneath the surface.

The man bowed to Tamara, and she raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell?"

"I am Allen assassin of the shadows. You...You...Must be the legend of the Fire Bird!"

"Eh? Fire Bird? What-OH! You mean the Phoenix! Yeah, and?"

"I have been told many stories and legends of someone like you, and here, just to meet the real flesh and bone of such tales I laughed at- it shocks me to my core..."

"Well, don't be shocked. I don't have time to call Ryou. I've got to..."She strolled off, looking at her watch.

"Oh shit! Hey, you want these eggs? I'm late for practice!" She dashed out the door, and Allen stood there, a plate full of eggs and bacon, confused. He looked back to the door frame, and Akefia walked in.

"Woo! Breakfast." He said, taking the plate from Allen.

"But...?"

"Yeah, she's got practice. She's never actually fought before, so Melvin trains her mostly. Sometimes its group trainings, but I guess not today." He shrugged and started chowing down on the hot food the Fire Bird just cooked.

"What would happen to be her name?"

"Huh?"

"The Fire Bird's?"

"Oh, She didn't introduce herself? Lazy Bastard. Melvin would have let her be a few minutes late...But her names Tamara. She' s the newest of us all here."

"Well..."

"You sure you didn't want this? It's amazing!"

"I can't eat pig."

"Well, you're missing out." Akefia laughed, and continued eating as Allen looked back to the door Tamara left from.

So the Fire Bird legend was true...

Melvin carried Tamara to her bed, she had passed out from another night with Bakura and Marik, parting. He sighed, what would drinking do to the Phoenix? He didn't even want to think of the consequences. He put her down, and looked at her for a moment.

At least this time wasn't so bad. Last time, she was out and about, drunk as hell, emotional as anyone could be, and completely crazy insane. How did the Phoenix feel about all this? What would it say?

He shrugged, thinking nothing of it if it hadn't said or done anything yet, and looked down at her once more.

If she woke up without him there, she'd be sad and angry.

But it's not like he wasn't going to be there.

He woke up to the sun shining in his eyes, and immediately sat up, still next to a sleeping Tamara. He sighed, looking to her.

"Tamara..."He whispered, shaking her gently.

She didn't wake up.

"Tamara?" He said, a little bit louder with panic, but he sat up, looking at her. Had she went into a coma? What had happened last night before he came to collect her...?

Her hair was growing red as fire, and actually turned near fire as she opened her eyes to match her hair. She sat up, her marks ablaze, and Melvin reached out to her, almost unsure wither to touch her or not.

He ended up burning his hand as he did reach for her, and she turned around to him.

"What have you done? Who are you?" She asked, but it wasn't Tamara's voice, it was deeper, and sounded as if it came from within her, a voice he soon recognized sounded like all people like them had:

The spirit inside her, bonded and molded to her soul: The Phoenix.

"I am Melvin, I am Tamara's...Friend."Melvin used friend loosely, not actually sure what they were..

"Friend of the soul I am bound to, who has trashed her? Who has altered her state of health?" The voice nearly screamed at him, and Melvin sighed.

"Let me bring you-" He held up his hands for her to sit back down.

"TELL ME." She demanded.

"The soul herself did such as you claim."

"Who took her to make such stupid decisions? Why didn't anyone stop them?"

"Another few friends of hers, and I wasn't aware until it was too late."

"Friends do not help destroy yourself, enemies do! Knowing too late means she, as well as I, go unguarded from this world...Which is a mistake that could cost lives."

"Yeah, well, in this time period, we call that friendship. Destroying yourselves together. You weren't unguarded, they were supposed to be watching over her..."Melvin rolled his eyes to soon find the Phoenix's hand around his throat.

"I AM NO IDIOT. NO INFERIOR, SPEAK TO ME AS I AM. AND I AM ROYALTY! I AM ABOVE YOU!" The voice said fiercely, and Melvin nodded, removing her hand from his throat, and stood up in front of her.

He started pulling her out into the living room, where the Phoenix ended up running towards the very two who helped make that stupid decision.

She had them by their throats in seconds as Allen came around the corner with Akefia and Ryou.

Allen dropped to his knees, eyes full of shock as Akefia too away Marik and Bakura from the fiery grip of the Phoenix.

"Tamara...Clam down."Akefia said, trying to take a step towards her.

"I am NOT Tamara. I am the great spirit of fire, the Phoenix! Royalty! And they have tainted my soul I share, with the kiss of poison!" She pointed a finger with a glare that could melt fire itself at the two who were hungover. They looked at each other and gulped.

"What do you mean...?"Akefia asked, and Tamara's body stepped forward.

"No one has taken care of and prevented her from tainting the soul, the body, the mind, everything we share! I demand someone guard her!" She said, and her eyes finally fell on Allen.

"You!" She yelled, and Allen rose to his feet, averting his eyes.

He spoke in Ethenic.

"Look at me and speak their tongue, we have no secrets here."

"Yes, Lady Fire Bird?"

"What do you know of these two? The poison takers, destroyers of souls?" The Phoenix said, and Melvin nearly rolled his eyes, they shouldn't be granted such claims.

"I know nothing of, Lady Fire Bird." He said, and looked directly into her eyes, the truth on his lips.

"Well, you serve a great purpose." She spat, but turned to the two, opening her mouth to speak when Melvin's voice spoke up.

"I could watch over her...If you demand such."

"Not anyone can watch over her! You must be under evaluation to be acceptable! Not just any fool can watch over the soul I bind with, and I am Royalty. I made up the sky, born from the sun itself."

"Then evaluate." Melvin stepped forward, and she raised an eyebrow, non-expectant and annoyed.

"I shall see with my own eyes of that into your soul.." She looked at him directly in the eyes, and Melvin looked back, not an emotion on his face.

And at last, she smiled, pointing her finger still, but walking over to Melvin.

"You shall watch over her...I entrust this to you."

"Why him? Shouldn't the one in charge do so?" Akefia asked, sounding nonchalant.

"Because I rule it so. You shall not, you took the accused away from punishment, he offered." She shrugged, real reasoning was in his soul, but she said not a word of it. He knew nothing of it yet, and she only smiled as she let Tamara's body fall to Melvin's arms, and he carried her back to his room, walking out to Akefia and the others.

Tamara lazily opened her eyes.

"You're an idiot." She sat up, but it wasn't Melvin's voice saying such, as he usually did after she did stupid things like yesterday. She looked around to see herself, but her hair, markings and eyes were literally fire, burning from what seemed inside.

"Who are you?"

"I am the Phoenix, and you are an idiot."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I've heard it all before, probably will again when I get back..."

"Well, for now, you aren't going back."

"What? Are you trying to say I'm dead?"

"You almost completely destroyed yourself-Along with ME." The Phoenix was clearly angry, and Tamara sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe I need to let go sometimes, look, life's not easy being here, being me, working in this world and with this team-"

"Then why is it easy for Ryou, Bakura, Marik, Melvin, Akefia and Allen? Hmm? How come they can make it? Isis? All these other people? How is it hard for you in particular if they can make it without breaking a sweat?" She quizzed, and left Tamara speechless, her jaw on the floor. She'd at least expected a spirit who morphed with hers to be a little nicer...

"I...Uh..." Tamara couldn't form words for any response.

"Exactly. Akefia is only expecting you to surpass all the others I've witnessed. A bit too much for someone like you, but he wants you...If anything, he needs us in this group..."

"Us? This is my soul-"

"Without me, you should realize your death. You couldn't survive humanly, and no race of that is here at all."

Tamara didn't know what to say, but instead looked away from the Phoenix, looking at herself.

"Can I go back now?"

"You could have left anytime."

"Yeah, well, every just seems to tell me what I can and can't do..." She said, standing up, clenched fists and a tight voice, strained.

The Phoenix sighed, but let her go back to the body.

Melvin felt Tamara's body flinch, and she sat up, panting.

"Are you alright?" He asked, but she didn't process he was there. Her head fell into her hands as she became more to the realization of reality.

His hand came to her shoulder as he sat up as well, leaning forward to try to see her face to face.

"Are you alright... Tamara?" He asked again. He found it weird when he'd come and she was still sleeping like a rock, her body still in the same position from when he'd dropped her off in her room earlier. Had she passed out?

She turned her head to look into his eyes, surprised as she processed it all.

"Melvin...I..."She half expected him to tell her she was an idiot, but took what she could, still unsure what to say.

"I know...The Phoenix came out while you had passed out. She wasn't too happy." Melvin didn't mention the whole guarding situation, he knew that she'd consider it a babysitting job.

He didn't think so, and actually took pride in getting to watch over her. He enjoyed the fact she got to be under his watch, not that she wasn't already, and put both his hands on each side of her face as he moved in front of her, sitting on his knees.

"Melvin..."She whispered, the conversation with the Phoenix running through her head, but instead only whispering his name.

"I know...It's alright..."

"I didn't mean to...The others...Why...?" Melvin didn't quite understand, but he grasped the fact she was upset.

"You don't have to stress out now Tamara...Just breathe..."He said, and took her in his arms, holding her into his chest.

She breathed evenly, clearing her head, and wrapped her arms around him in return, surprising him.

"You should go to sleep..."Melvin said, the norm for him now. She shook her head in protest.

"No, I want you to take me to the water..."She whispered, and Melvin sighed heavily.

"You need sleep. You've had a long day..."

"I want to go to the water Melvin...Take me..." She tried to keep her voice strong, but hiding the fact that the water helped clear her head, especially with Melvin there, was hard to ignore. She wanted to be there, with him, more then anything at the moment...

"Tamara, please don't make this hard on me...We both know you need sleep, which you aren't getting...You're exhausting yourself..." He kept his voice stronger then hers, her health was more important.

"When do I ever get to see you? Whenever I do, you're always telling me to go to sleep, and then I never get to see you or be this way with you in the day..."

"You know why..." Melvin sighed, but Tamara wasn't sure exactly why, but then she remembered that Akefia had kissed her, and that he had some way to cloud her brain before, but that all changed when she got near Melvin. Everything made sense with Melvin, and she took some advantage of that.

She'd never told Melvin about Akefia either, but she had some sense he knew already. She felt guilty, feeling that way before with Akefia and now this way with Melvin...How did she feel about Melvin? What was this? How did she begin to even describe what she couldn't say? She felt happy and calm with him, like she had used all her strength during the day, and he was here to help her, and in some odd way, lend his strength to her. Hold her up on his shoulders, lifting her higher then the clouds, she felt like she had unlimited power next to him.

"Please?" She asked, her voice sweet and coy. Melvin swallowed hard, he couldn't back down. Her health and well being was what mattered...

But yet, her voice rang in his body, shaking and awaking the soul he thought was taken many years ago, it called to it, and it came forth, just under his skin, clouding his thoughts that led against making her happy. It made everything that said that this was wrong nearly forgotten. It followed the principle of Isis' words, telling him this felt right, that it was right, and it was the only thing that could be right in this world they lived in.

But he had a moment of sanity.

"Tomorrow..."He sighed, caving in only so close to what she wanted. She was silent for a minute or two, thinking it over.

"Promise...?"She said, at last. He couldn't help but smile like an idiot at her excitement that they would get to go.

"Don't I always end up giving into you?" He sighed, kissing her forehead gently, and letting her go. He silently wondered why she liked it there so much...Why did she want to be there? To get away from Akefia? Everyone else?

But the newly awakened spirit inside him whispered that she just liked being with him, that she felt the same.

Could he believe such things? Without question? Without doubt?

He shook it all from his head, laying down next to her, as she was already dozing off, and sighed. He gently, and slowly, wound his arms around her, resting his head over hers, his body like a shield. He had his back to the darkness surrounding them, but yet his heart gently beat close to her, facing her, the one thing that made it act this way.

"I always give in..."He whispered, feeling her soft, silky hair touch the bottom of his chin and neck, her breath ever so gentle on his collar bone.

Allen wasn't sure what was going on, his sleep schedule still unusual as he was used to the time and place he came from, but he did understand something was wrong with Akefia. He found his light still on, and Akefia was talking to himself, pacing.

"I can't...I can't..."He coaxed to no one but himself. He shook his head, trying to release himself from what seemed to torture him, what seemed to control him. He wanted to be free, free from what bound his mind to something terrible and torturous.

"Akefia?" Allen asked, peering around the corner. Akefia's head snapped up, and he smiled, a wild, crazy look in his eyes as he noticed Allen.

"Yes?"

"Are...Are you alright?"

"I am perfect, thank you. What are you doing up?" He felt his smile grow tight, he pondered what Allen had heard, seen. He must have seen something that struck him, because he looked concerned, and didn't leave.

"I am not used to such times yet, and I saw you were still awake. I came to see if everything was alright-"

"Everything's fine. Go back to your room." His smile faded, and he ground his teeth in both insanity and anger.

Allen stood there for a minute, no emotion on his face, as assassins were trained not to show emotions, and turned abruptly and left.

Akefia gripped the edges of the table, standing up, and panted, looking down. Tamara was making him crazy, how she kept her distance as he kept his, and he ached to touch her again, ached for his lips to meet hers, in a different way this time. Passion had built up in both of them, he could feel it around Tamara, and wanted to finally prove to her that he wasn't just her boss, and that there could be much more, oh so much more. So much more feeling between them, no restraints at all. He didn't care if the others saw, nor what they would say. He felt that same feeling once again, the same one with Kyrah, and images flashed in his head rapidly.

He remembered every moment with her, every touch, every word. Secrets of the dark in his head, each one with her smiling back at him, same passion, same feeling, emotion. He wanted her oh so bad, wanted to feel it all again, wanted her soft touch-

He stopped. Kyrah could never come back to this world, could never live among them ever again. She had been saved, brought here , but saved. He came to a final mindset, and left at once for Melvin's room. He found him not there, and knowing Melvin, he was probably training somewhere to tire himself out.

Bringing his cellphone out from his pocket, Akefia dialed a number that seemed all too familiar, and it went straight to voice-mail.

He snapped it shut, and threw it as far as he could, it hit the wall, and broke.

Despite his anger, he ran outside, starting his car and sped off through the town, into the shadows of the night.

_**Authors note: Alright, Allen is up and about now! :D Been waiting a long while to put him in ^^ Got some other stories in process, but no where near ready to be posted, they're still in the note process. **_

_**But where did Akefia go to? What's happening? Clone fight with Ryou and Bakura? BAKURA'S A DROW! (You can thank the Drizit series, and don't kill me if I spelled that wrong ) A drow is a dark elf, go read more about it if you want. And Allen is thanks to rift (used rift to make him)**_

_**Thank you for reading! :D I enjoyed this a lot, and took a little time with it. Everything was scattered, considering I haven't had time, sorry about that :(. Phoenix isn't so happy with Tamara, Why would Akefia need an assassin? Well, it'll all be answered ;)**_

_**Tamara, Dark Side of the Moon, Allen © Me**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters © Their creators **_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Cheating=Breaking the Rules**

Melvin opened his eyes to a stormy sky outside, dark clouds of black just rolling off the horizon, and sighed. A black day. He shrugged it off, and looked to Tamara, who had only moved closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around her more. His hands found her hair, pulling it out of the messy ponytail it held, and ran through it.

She woke up from the gentle touch, and he bowed his head to hers almost immediately, waiting to wish her a good morning. He was happier then before, and almost forgot not to show too much emotion, but she opened her eyes to see Melvin, and she beamed back at his excitement with an almost exact equal shine.

"Good Morning..."He whispered, his lips moving to her neck for a light kiss. She woke up a little more, and moved her face in front of his, which was almost impossible due to how his arms wrapped around her. But she managed, and put her forehead to his.

"You're peppy today."

"Am I? I didn't notice..."

"Well, Mr. Sunshine...I think it's time to get up..."

"I think it is." He laughed, and suddenly he remembered. Isis was right, she had been all along. He was iced and cold before, not alive, and yet, her exact words rang through him _'She has the spark of life..._'

He stopped. Last night he had felt...Like something inside him awoke and came to life, realization had washed over him like tidal waves. Tamara was bringing life back into him, by just being herself.

And that brought on a whole new batch of memories he'd tucked away, thoughts and feelings of so long ago.

He tightened his grip on her, almost panicking. This wasn't supposed to happen, and his smile wiped off his face almost immediately.

"What's wrong? Lose your buzz?" Tamara laughed, moving out of his grip. He stayed there for a minute, but stood up, his body towering next to hers, and said nothing while they walked to the kitchen. He could sense the rest of the house was gone, and silently wondered how Isis had gotten them this time, especially when things were getting bad.

"What do you want to eat?" Melvin asked, voice completely dry and lifeless. Tamara was shocked by it, but answered anyways.

"I can get it myself." She spat back, and moved around him.

Without full control of himself, Melvin reached out, grabbing her by shoulder, and wrapped his arms around her quickly, gently touching the satin of the over shirt she wore, unbuttoned, and over a tank top. His lips swiftly met hers, his body molding around hers, hers fitting perfectly in his. She was surprised at first, but rolled with it as Melvin started to realize what was happening. Whatever had awakened in him, was now so strong, that he felt it was almost impossible to have control over himself.

He finally ripped himself away, and stood away from Tamara, who staggered a little bit, stumbling forward. One second he was there and the next he wasn't, she was leaning off him in their embrace, but when he moved she was left stunned.

"Melvin...?"She asked, and it looked like her head was spinning. Melvin felt bad for leaving her like that, but he was fighting for control over this uprising of this newly awakened...Thing. He wasn't sure what to call it, it wasn't quite his soul, but in a way, it was. A lot of his old self had rose inside him, he felt like it was being reborn. Like everything was fine with it, but he knew he should watch himself, it wasn't safe to let him be himself. Not now, not when he had such little control.

"What did you want for breakfast?" He asked again, and took a step toward her.

"I can get it myself..."She said again, quieter this time, she started turning slowly, but Melvin raised his hand in protest.

"Please...Let me get it?" He wasn't sure what this was, but he felt she needed to sit down.

"Why?"

"Because you look like you're about to pass out..."He mumbled, and guided her to the table. She sat down, and gave him a more confused look.

"Only because you nearly-"

"What do you want?" He turned to her as he walked to the cabinets and cupboards. She gave him an even more confused look, but didn't speak. He turned away, and started taking out a bowl for maybe the chance they had cereal.

Tamara thought about it for a minute, but in that small touch and rush of emotion she felt like she had reached the real Melvin, his inner self, and this morning, everything seemed like it was the real him. She finally realized that she didn't like the pool of water just because it was magic in the moonlight, nor because the fact it made her change, she had found a connection in her dreams to it, and it was because Melvin had taken her there. Because it was _their_ secret. It's where she'd gotten close to him, and this morning, she finally got a glimpse of who he was. She had these feeling's stirring in her for a while, a few days, and each time, seeing Melvin made them grow tremendously. She wasn't sure why she kept asking him to stay with her at night, sure, she felt safer, but just the possibility of him being away made her ache. Thinking about it made her mind reel, her bones felt like butter, melting away, her skin felt like glue that was dried out and stretched to far, like it was breaking and chipping off. But worst of all, the one thing she didn't want to admit, was that she felt her heart would ache, her chest just empty at the thought. It was her own guilty pleasure to ask him to stay, to keep all these feelings of her body turning to dust away.

She watched him search through the cupboards, and finally couldn't take it, she had to say something. These words and emotions burned inside her, fueling the fire to stand up and express them. She felt if she didn't, they'd just grow stronger, and come out at the wrong time, but here was perfect, and she recognized what they were, what they meant. What she had felt so long ago, was mystery and not this, this was entirely different, this, this made her breathe in life, this made it feel like living, the other time with the boy that caused her blood lust back in the human world, that wasn't anything near this. She wasn't sure what that was...Admiration? Lust? It wasn't like this, for this felt like something new, this felt like sunshine on her face, a nice breeze blowing on her face and through her hair, and the sound of birds, the world, everything at peace...

She stood up quickly, and spoke with just the same fire that was burning inside her.

"Melvin, I have to say something...I'm not sure how naive or how stupid I sound, and honestly, right now, I don't care. I can sound like a child, act like one too, at times I think I'm only being scolded, and that things are wrong. But..I don't like the pool of water because it changes me, I don't like it because it's peaceful, well I do like it because of that, but that's not what I'm getting at!" She forced the words out more quickly then she could think, but Melvin didn't turn or say a word, he simply stopped and listened. She continued:

"I've been thinking about this, running it through my mind a lot lately, and even though none of it sounds like me, nor anywhere near perfect, I guess what I'm trying to say is...I like the pool of water because _you_ showed ti to me...Because it's _our_ secret...Because I...I love you, Melvin." She finally got it out, the fire turning into peace, and breathed, waiting for Melvin's answer.

Melvin clenched his fists on the counter, and did the same with his teeth. Did she have to say this now? While he was already fighting off what had awakened and was driving him insane? Besides her, this soul and mindset he'd thought he'd lost so long ago, had returned because he felt this again, because he'd let things get too far, too close. He grit his teeth, trying to hold back the acid he felt rising. He wasn't angry at her, but himself, and this soul that used to be him. No, never at her, she made everything smooth, everything alright.

Melvin felt her arms around him, her head leaning on his back, as she spoke.

"You...-" He cut her off, spinning around and away from her arms, shaking his head.

"Don't say that again.."The acid poured out before he could stop it, and it was already going, he couldn't take control now.

"Wha...What?" She asked, confused.

"Don't tell me that again."

"Why?" She looked hurt, too hurt to not care about that word anymore.

"Because, it's...Not true. Don't say it. It's a bad thing to say..."

"But it is true! I love you Melvin...I never thought I could feel it, I thought I'd already felt it, had been done with it. But love was never what I felt back then, it's what I feel right now, what I have been trying to figure out, thoughts tangled in my head for days...Melvin I know that it's right, it feels right, so I don't see the wrong in it...I love-"

"I don't love you!" Melvin yelled, and Tamara felt her heart shattered. Melvin realized what acid had poured out, and immediately looked at her, surprised at his own words, yet hurt and concerned for her. The acid from his lips had come out just to make this all stop. He didn't want to be in the same place, didn't want anything to do with 'love' again. But yet, the very look on her face that showed he had hurt her, made him realize he was just being cold again, returning to who he was after he let his old self go...He didn't want to be hurt, and he didn't want to hurt her, but he had already done both with those words.

"Tamara I-" He reached for her, but she turned and ran down the hall, slamming her door. He was left in the kitchen, standing alone.

He had hurt her, and in the mist of that, he'd hurt himself. What HE said wasn't true. None of what she said was a lie, nor bad. He just was fighting it from happening again, but decided that he wanted it now, when it was already too late. He loved her, and wanted nothing more but to just hold her right now. Nothing seemed to be possible, moving, breathing, and he heard her silent sobs stab his heart.

What had he done? He stopped at her door, and hesitated. Should he? He stepped away from the door, and sighed. He shouldn't, at least not now.

His heart weighed heavy in his chest. He had hurt her, and the newly risen soul inside him felt like it had died with her even just a little bit, crying with her just as it had the first time he had comforted her.

He stalked off to his room, and sighed as he flopped down on his bed. Why couldn't he just have forgotten what it was like before? She had just told him she loved him, and he had said he didn't love her. He felt horrible, he felt like scum, a liar. He had lied to her, himself, and had completely shattered her.

Melvin immediately began to think on how to fix it, his mind stepping into each path he could see, and looked up to the black sky, sighing.

There seemed no way to fix it.

He had ruined everything.

Allen raised an eyebrow as Isis answered the door to find Akefia there.

"Akefia, what a pleasant surprise. Allen's here as well." She stepped aside to let him in and he sighed.

"Sorry about earlier, but I needed to speak to Isis alone." Akefia hurried Allen out the door. Isis raised an eyebrow, and Akefia rushed his words.

"I need your help."

Allen walked home with a sense of confusion. He wasn't sure what was going on, but a lot was happening behind the scenes. He came to the conclusion that it was none of his business.

He strolled home, walking in the door to find Melvin's room light on. He'd never seen him in there, and pondered why.

Allen sighed, shrugging it off, and went to his own room.

Akefia nearly ran to Melvin's room, opening the door to see Melvin, and smiled.

"Come with me."

"Where?" He asked, looking up and raising his eyebrows.

"Just, come on." He hurried Melvin out the door, and rushed him to a portal to the human world.

"The human world?" Melvin asked ,and Akefia nodded.

"Yes, we have a mission."

"Mission?"

"Well, yes. Isis has assigned us something for a few days..It shouldn't be more then a week...Or two..."

"Only me and you? Akefia-"

"Have faith in me, Melvin." Akefia's shoulders sank, but Melvin kept quiet as Akefia led him to a human town.

Allen ambled through the lab, looking at random things, and searching for nothing in particular. He walked along, and when he came across the slightly cracked open door to the Lady Fire Bird's room, he stopped.

He heard tears. Tears that dripped off her cheeks to the blanket, giving away her emotions. She always seemed so...Brash and bold, to see her crying...Gave him an uneasiness that made him push the door open a little more, and poke his head in.

She was curled up on her floor, in a corner, and Allen stepped inside.

"Lady Fire Bird?" He asked and her head snapped up, fire just under her skin and eyes.

"What?" She snapped, dryly. Allen kept a straight line, but looked at with eyes that made her regret snapping.

"Sorry..."She immediately said after it was out, and he walked over to her, squatting down to look her in the eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah..I'm fine.."She sniffled, and Allen sighed.

"Would you accompany me somewhere?"

"No..."

"We're going to go to Isis' house..."

She thought about it for a few minutes, but eventually got up and followed after him.

"Hey...Can we just walk? And not go to Isis' house? I'd rather not go in front of people...Right now, at least." She looked down and shuffled her feet, and Allen nodded.

"As you wish. But we must later see her, I promised here I would,"

"You know Isis?"

"Yes, we've...Known each other for a long time." He half smiled, looking off into the distance, as if something were slightly funny.

"How?"

"That's for another time. But for now, silence...I don't like too much conversation..."Allen sighed, not sure what to say, and kept his silence. At least he warned her in advance.

Awhile later, they ended up at Isis' house, after a silent walk, they both needed the silence, and solitude from Isis. She welcomed them warmly, and immediately brought them inside.

"Welcome." She smiled, and her gaze fixed on both their faces, reading in between the smiles and vacant stare from Tamara.

"Thank you for inviting us. I hope you don't mind I brought Lady Fire Bird."

"No, no, she's always welcome." Isis wrapped her long slender body around Tamara, hugging her warmly.

"What ails your tears, Tamara?" Isis asked, concern all over her face. Tamara hesitated, and went to sit down on one of the couches.

"Nothing..."

"She's been...effected with something, I..."Allen leaned closer to Isis, and spoke in a hushed voice. "I heard her crying in her room, went to check on her, and she was curled in a ball on the floor in a corner. She won't say what's wrong, and I am male. Not the best to ask." I sis nodded considerably.

"I'll call Akefia and tell him she'll be staying here with me for a few days,don't worry. Thank you for bringing her to me." Isis smiled tenderly at him.

"I thought I ought to, she is the only female in the lab..."

"You've done your part, Allen. So much more, thank you." Isis smiled again, and Allen nodded briefly.

"We'll talk later." He asked, and Isis barely caught his words as he slipped towards the door.

"Yes." And with that, he was gone.

"Tamara, would you like something to eat? You two walked all the way here...I don't want you to be starving and feel embarrassed to ask..."

"No, I'm fine." Tamara lied. But she didn't feel like eating. Her stomach seemed content on whatever it was she felt.

Which felt like nothing. Trust had been broken again.

"Hmmm."Isis said, and tapped her chin. Tamara said no word's but raised an eyebrow in question.

"Is it just me, or is it love sickness I can feel around you?" Isis asked at last, and Tamara looked up in shock.

"What makes you think that?"

"You're eyes...What happened?" She asked and Tamara didn't hesitate this time.

"I'm not love sick," Actually, just rejected. Tamara wasn't sure what love sickness was, " I've just been having a really bad time here...Everything feels so different, and it's starting to wear me down..." Isis smiled, and turned to Tamara.

"That, I can fix as well." She laughed, twirling around, her back to Tamara as she left into the other room to at least try to help Tamara.

_**Authors note: This chapter is extremely short, only because I had to cut it in half. Anyways, enjoy :)**_

_**Read and review**_

_**Allen, Tamara, and The Dark Side fo the Moon © me**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters © their creators. **_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Rules are there to help you, Honestly. **

Isis frowned as she found Tamara still in the same mood. Nonetheless, She closed the door to the room Tamara slept in, and walked out to get the door. There was no knock, but she knew he was there.

"Isis." Allen's voice appeared from the shadows.

"I knew you were here." She half smiled, and beckoned him inside.

He shook his head.

"I'm not here for a visit, I have to get back...It's only Ryou, Bakura and Marik at home...Who knows what damage they can do in thirty seconds..." He half smiled, and Isis sighed.

"Once you get to know them, you'll see they're not that bad...But another time..." Isis nodded, shutting the door behind her as she stared up at the moon.

"Isis..."Allen reached out for her, as if he was almost unsure with each step, each breath, hesitant.

She looked to his eyes, with a vast knowing.

"Yes?"

"I won't forget...I will follow through..."

"I know you will...The fact you're still here shows that."

"I just question why..."

"Don't. Questioning only brings corruption."

"How much longer?"

"I would have never thought you were the one to be so hasty and quick to question."

"I have good reason."

"Do you suspect things shall turn for the worst?" Isis asked, and her eyes took on the shadows that Allen had seen all his life. But hers were no evil, hers meant no harm.

Only that she knew.

Allen sighed, looking behind him at the path, letting out an annoyed expression.

"I should stay...There is much...Too much..."

"Good choice." Isis smiled, and stepped aside, letting him in.

Tamara awoke, sitting up. The sounds of someone cooking in Isis' kitchen told her she was most likely awake, and she padded down the hall, peering around the corner at Isis and Allen.

Her jaw fell to the floor.

"What are YOU doing here?" She asked, before she could stop herself, and they both turned, A flat line on Allen's face, but a warming smile on Isis' as she saw Tamara's face.

"He came to visit us. And maybe, take you home after breakfast."

"But I don't want to go home yet..." Tamara folded her arms, and huffed as she looked away form them, looking around the hallway.

"Well, it was a maybe. Now sit down, I've made us all breakfast." Isis took two graceful steps to the table, and set about four plate full of the fixings for a breakfast . Tamara's mouth watered at the sight and smell of the delicious food, and her stomach ached to be filled with it. How long had it been since she ate? It had been about a day or two, that's what she could guess.

She sat down, and looked around, ignoring table manners and digging in. Isis smiled brightly, beaming at the sight of her enjoying her food.

"I'm happy you enjoy it. And you, Allen?"

"It's wonderful, thank you." He said, ceasing all further conversation as he took bite-fulls of the warm food as well.

Isis excused herself, the phone ringing.

"Hello?"

"Isis."The voice was for sure who she knew it was, and she almost sighed into the phone.

"Yes?"

"I need time here..."

"You can't directly..."

"I know...I know...Just...Time..."

"Time shall be given to who needs it most." Most importantly, time healed what was clearly in need of time, and space, after hurt...Time would be allowed, but only a bit. Too much time, Isis feared, would corrupt it further.

"Thanks." Isis hung up, a smug smile on her face.

"Thank _you._" She whispered to the dead end. A sly smile on her face changed when Allen's footsteps came to a stop at the room, and Isis turned.

"All the foods gone. With Lady Fire Bird around, makes you wonder if it would last a minute."

"Don't be mean." Tamara said, peaking around him, and punching him in his arm.

"The truth leaks from my lips in manor I cannot fully control." He shrugged, and Tamara glared.

"Why don't we all go for a walk outside for a while?" Isis suggested, and Tamara sighed.

"Do we have to?"

"Yes." Isis smiled, and Tamara looked at her feet.

"Oh, don't worry. We'll take you home at a later day, for the next three days, I have Tamara all to myself." Isis laughed, hugging her in a sisterly way. Tamara held back a smile. She enjoyed Isis' company a little more now then before, things had changed, she'd become almost...

Sister like.

Being an only child, Tamara felt that this was what it was like, to be able to share everything, and be so close, as if you couldn't get any closer, and things were just so...Nice.

Tamara hugged back, and Allen looked from Isis to Tamara.

"Sisterly love?"

"Almost. As close as anything like that can get." Isis smiled, and Tamara looked away, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, anyways, I'm glad I get some time off and away from the group..I..I need it." Tamara almost chocked on her words. Whenever she mentioned the group, the only thing she pictured the most was Melvin, and that hurt.

He didn't love her. He rejected her, even after all the times of the course of the last month or so's, after all the signs she thought she saw...

She was just blind.

"Tamara? What aches in your heart, dragging it below deep dark waters?"Isis asked, and Tamara raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"She means, what's getting you down? You're acting a bit melodramatic here, emphasis on dramatic. You'll look to the side and away, get sad, and look down." Allen sighed, and shook his head. He disapproved of this attitude, considering he wanted to know what was wrong, and she said nothing about it.

"Emphasis on you being an asshole." Tamara spat, and pushed him aside as she bolted down the hall.

Isis looked to Allen, her turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Must you upset her?" Isis sighed, and Allen shrugged.

"Being nice didn't work. I want to know what's wrong."

"You don't know how to go about things like acquiring that kind of information from a girl. She's fragile, and young. If she says she needs Space and time away form the group, then she knows what she needs. I can be sure with saying that with Tamara. She may be brash, childish and cocky, but she's got her head on her shoulders tightly, and understand what she needs more then anyone else does." Isis place her smooth, gentle hand on his arm, and walked after Tamara.

Allen smiled, and laughed to himself, walking back to the kitchen and putting his jacket back on.

"Leaving so soon?" Isis asked as he put his hand on the knob.

"I've got to. They must have destroyed the lab by now." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, do what you must. They did say they were leaving for a while...You must be the alpha male in this situation." Isis nodded considerably, and Allen gave a quick nod before disappearing behind the door.

"Tamara..."Isis called to the hallway, not turning as she heard Tamara walk to the kitchen.

"What?" Tamara sniffled, and Isis looked over her shoulder.

"What has my brother done?"

Akefia led him straight to Vegas, and Melvin sighed.

"What the hell are we doing here?"

"We're going to have some fun."

"Akefia-" He shook his head as they walked into a strip club, and Melvin glared.

"Melvin, have some fun will you? We're in the Human world, we have options here because I'm gorgeous, you're gorgeous, and we have tons of money! Besides this place doesn't really track your conversations. I have something to talk to you about..."He added quietly, and Melvin silently panicked. Could he know of him and Tamara? He wasn't sure, and the thought of being in this place while he still was fighting himself about how he felt with Tamara.

He still very much felt the same, a heavy air of regret and pain fogged over it though, and he sighed. He wanted to rewind it all, stop himself. But that wasn't possible, and now Akefia might of known. At least he could almost honestly say it was over.

Or was it? He wasn't sure, but although nothing about it being over was said with words, actions spoke louder with the look she gave him. That very look that everything had been broken, and she was hurt.

Because of him. He had thought of the first time he comforted her, how he could so easily feel her pain, and wanted her not to feel that way at all anymore. Even with thoughts that made her eyes grow dark, shadows illuminating her soul with a negative effect. He wanted to know why, and it only came up with the subject of her past.

"You want a girl?" Akefia asked, taking Melvin away from his thoughts. Which Melvin wouldn't have minded, despite the question. He didn't want to answer.

"No, now what did you want to talk about?"

"Didn't I tell you to have some fun? Relax, it's nothing too serious." He shrugged, but Melvin shook his head, looking down into his drink.

"You did, but that wasn't an order." Melvin took a sip, and Akefia sighed, annoyed.

"Always with the order or not shit...Why? Can't we just be friends like old times?"

"That's not a healthy relationship with the group and all."

"Forget about the group right now. You can relax, and be YOU Melvin. You can stop the act."

"It isn't an act, Akefia. This is what I've been made.."

"Stop. Have fun." Akefia started raising his voice, still strained a bit, and Melvin sighed in defeat. He couldn't cause a fight now.

"Alright." Akefia smiled, and clinked his glass to Melvin's.

A little while later, Melvin finally spoke up again. He hadn't looked up form his glass once, and finally when he rested on Akefia's gaze, he sighed.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Well," Akefia began, smiling away. "I wanted to congratulate you. You've really set Tamra in line with all this training. And although you already are chosen to watch over her," Akefia made a face that showed disapproval to the Phoenix, and Melvin sighed, he knew he couldn't keep a watch over Tamara as long as their relationship was like it was.

"I want you to continue to train her. At least, for a little while. I want her stronger then all of us...Or more so then you..." Melvin couldn't believe his ears, and looked at Akefia in shock.

"Wh-What?"

"I want her to be...Strong. You saw what happened last time...She was weak, and she couldn't make it in our world. I want her to be strong, to make it..."

"What brought all this on?"

"We're going to go see Kyrah."

Melvin nearly passed out.

Tamara laid on her bed, rolled into a ball on her side. She couldn't think, all she could do was replay his words over and over, breathe, and lay there. She hadn't cried much, only a little bit. She didn't know how long she'd laid there, how long it'd been. It had been days, and she'd been a zombie to everyone else, coming half to life only to eat and the usual. Days since the time with Isis, that made her seem to forget that it had all happened. But Isis had to leave to go do some government stuff, and Tamara had to return home. But time spent away didn't help much...

His words still stung, each time she heard them again, unable to stop it. He didn't feel the same, but she didn't understand. That wasn't love, and it was wrong, it wouldn't happen again, nothing would between them. He wouldn't allow it, and she'd tried to avoid it.

Bakura came in, without knocking, and sat down next to her.

"What's going on? Who made you cry?" He said, wiping a tear away. She quickly sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"No one."

"Come on, it's clear you're hurt. Who hurt our drinking buddy?" Marik asked from the doorway, she shook her head.

"What do you want?"

"You need a drink." Bakura said, pulling her up to stand.

"No, I-" She stopped. The Phoenix's words came through her mind, and she understood the point. No drinking. It hurt them both. And Melvin-

She stopped again.

"I can't." She said, and Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"She's in denial, she needs a drink badly!" Marik smiled, and Tamara sighed.

"One."

"That's what we all say..."Bakura laughed, and they led her to town.

Ryou watched them leave, fighting off both sides. What did he owe it to them to not stop them? Sure she was hurt, none of them sure why, but the Phoenix had called them drinking 'poison'. He conflicted with himself, not sure where to stand. He finally sighed, giving in, and walked off after them.

Akefia smiled at Melvin.

"Yup, a little chit chat and visit."

"But, Akefia. You can't forget she was _saved _form our world. We can't just stop by whenever we want. We're not supposed to have any contact with her at all! She doesn't even remember us!"

"Well, I did some talking to Isis, and after a raise and all paid trip to a spa, she gave in."

Melvin noted to question her later about this, not knowing if she'd really give in like that, but scowled at Akefia.

"Why. Why are you doing this to you? To me? To all of us?"

"Because Melvin, I want to see her...Convince her to come back..."

"You KNOW what will happen if you do..."

"It's a risk we can change. Our world is full of possibilities."

"Our world is a place where dreams are made only to be beaten down, broken, and forgotten. We ruin things, we are the _**Dark Side**_ of the Moon Akefia." Melvin glared. Akefia shrugged.

"Come on, think on the bright side. We can at least try..."

"Akefia, I know you loved her. Believe me of all people I know you did, but that can't happen again...She has a life here in the Human world. Our time goes slower then theirs..."

"No, it goes faster."

"Akefia, we haven't aged in years, while humans have been collecting age like dust!" Akefia looked down, and waved the waitress over.

"Can we get a private room with two of your loveliest ladies?"

"Akefia-" Before Melvin could utter a word, two women came up, and led them away. Akefia looked to Melvin, and smiled.

"Go on now, look at her." Akefia coaxed, and Melvin's brain swirled at the smell of her blood. His teeth grew hallow and his throat ached for human blood. He could barely stand just sitting here.

"You fucking suck Akefia." Melvin stood up abruptly, and tried to leave.

"Hey, now. We're paying her good money, at least let her show you-"

"YOU KNOW YOU SICK BASTARD!" Melvin hissed, and the eye started faintly glowing.

"Exactly, now drink up." Akefia raised his glass to his lips, and bit his dancer. Melvin stepped back in shock, but as the smell of human blood, fresh, swarmed the room, he couldn't handle it any longer.

"Forgive...Me..."Melvin said as the Eye took over, and he began laughing maniacally.

Everything went fuzzy as Melvin lost control. He couldn't stop himself from sucking her dry, and after looked to Akefia, who smiled back.

"Now that you're full, gain control of yourself, and come on." Akefia led him outside, and Melvin sighed, shunning himself.

"I hate you for that."

"You'll get over it, besides, I couldn't let you starve, now could I?"

"It was my fault, and I hate that you did that."

"Look, you needed to be filled, and anyways, she was a whore, sold herself to the highest bidder already, and we just happened to be that. We finished the game for her, that's all."

"She was a living human!"

"I already have things covered up with it, don't worry, and humans are things to be killed, not kept alive."

"You're an evil bastard..."

"You flatter me too much." Akefia smiled, and Melvin began to shrug it off. Akefia was right, he needed to be filled, but he still felt bad. It was out of his control, and he couldn't do anything to stop it or change it. It happened, and he had to live with it. All he wanted now, was to hug Tamara until she could stop this monster inside him.

But he couldn't do that. She probably hated him right now. Although time was said to heal things, he had a feeling this set of time was only making things worse, he wanted to hold her in his arms and beg for forgiveness. Although it was only two weeks they'd been away, in the Dark Side, it had been longer here in the Human world, about four weeks, maybe more. With their odd schedule, He wasn't sure anymore. He just knew time made this bad patch worse, but it made his love for her unavoidable and stronger.

He'd just have to wait. She probably hated him now though, a thought he'd rather not give the pleasure of space in his mind.

Tamara slammed down her glass, drunk again. It was her eighth drink, and she was still ready for more. It seemed to numb it all away, make it feel like everything was okay, like nothing happened.

Bakura took her hand and led her to the dance floor, like the first time she went out on the town with him, and he smiled at her, his hands falling on her hips.

"You know...Last time you kissed me..."Bakura slyly said, smiling at her coyly.

"You were probably dreaming...I don't remember that." Tamara slurred, but he shook his head.

"No, no, I remember it distinctively...It went...Like this.."He moved his lips to hers, shocking her, and pulled her closer, almost surrounding her with his whole body. She reacted the same, kissing back a bit, but pulled away,

"I'm sorry...I can't..."She mumbled, and Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

"I...I just can't..."She said, gaining control a bit, and feeling guilty. But then again, Melvin didn't love her.

No matter how much his words hurt, forgetting he was right and his words true, she still loved him. Knowing what it finally was, and being rejected for it hurt, but feeling like this and knowing he didn't return it hurt more.

Tamara looked up to Bakura, and forced a kiss back, trying to forget Melvin, and the strange one sided attraction Akefia felt for her. She wasn't sure if this was just a drunk Bakura thing, but it did feel a little nice once she ignored the guilt.

Ryou walked in the bar, scanning the room for the trio, and found Marik, where Bakura and Tamara were joining him. Ryou had lucked out.

"Hey, guys..."Ryou walked up, and Bakura glared.

"_What_?"

"Look, I have no idea where Melvin and Akefia are, but...You shouldn't be doing this...Please, go home. Come home. Before something bad happens..."He pleaded, but Bakura simply laughed.

"Come on, let's-"

"Please...Go home."Ryou tried once more, still nice, but his voice tight. Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"Why don't you go home, little kids aren't allowed here..."Bakura laughed, and Marik looked form Bakura to Ryou. Another clone squabble?

A hand fell on Ryou's shoulder, and Allen appeared out of the shadows behind Ryou.

"Go home. Now." Allen's voice sounded Alpha male, and Bakura glared.

"Why should we listen to you?"

"You're disobeying Lady Fire Bird?"Allen shook his head, but continued:

"You should listen to me because I can have a repeat of when we first met. You'd be better off without the confrontation again, and follow Ryou's wise words. Go home now, or thing's won't turn out well."Allen said again, not sure if he had enough power in their eyes to make them listen. But he held his place, and Tamara looked around.

"Look, I'm not saying listen to them or anything, but I'm tired. I want to go to bed, so see you later..."She brushed past them and started walking home, Ryou on her heels.

"What?" She asked, her voice strained due to being tired and slightly drunk.

"A lady shouldn't walk home alone at night...Besides, I think Allen's coming home too..."He turned to see Allen leaving, Bakura and Marik behind him distantly.

Tamara laid down on her bed, and looked up to the sky. It was raining. She was exhausted, and no amount of alcohol could cure the heartache of being rejected. The two weeks he'd been gone was agonizing, she still felt for him, but as well went over everything in her mind. Had she read things all wrong? Was she reading the opposite signals? Where could she have gone wrong...?When he got back, she didn't want to talk to him, although sad, she was angry. It wasn't her fault, and this hadn't happened before. No, before with Chase was different, He'd only used her. And now, she wasn't even sure why.

But she didn't want to carry that heartache as well, and sighed.

Giving into exhaustion, she rolled over, and started dozing off.

_**Authors note: Well, this was the 2/3 part of the original chapter, just thought I'd let you know, It's been cut into three pieces now. XD I just write a lot. But I love it so much, I feel like I'm slightly betraying Soul Searcher...Hmmmmm.**_

_**Anyways, this gave the heart ache a little more break, and well, Isis couldn't fully save the day, now could she? Neither can Allen, even when his impatience reached a level he went blunt. Well, sorry. :(**_

_**Read and Review!**_

_**Tamara, Allen, and The Dark Side of the Moon (World) © Me**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters © their creators.**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter sixteen: Time Heals, but Once Rules are Broken, they're Broken for Good.**

Melvin was relieved a bit when Akefia told him they weren't going to meet with Kyrah in their time there, but listened closely for the catch.

"We'll come back another time, after I do some research..."He said, and walked off to his room. Melvin stood in the hallway, everyone else asleep, and walked to his room, resisting the urge to go directly to Tamara's.

When he flicked on the light to find his room as he left it, he sighed. Some small part of him had hoped she'd be here, but he should have known better. Tamara wasn't one to beg like that after she'd been turned down. What little he did know about her past said it clearly, and it had something to do with that boy. Maybe she'd been turned down before...? She hated him enough for it...And she had mentioned something about her innocence being taken away...Melvin wondered if he'd raped her, the thought making him want to kill the boy himself. He grew angrier with the thought, grinding his teeth and gripping the edge of his bed until his tan knuckles were white.

The sound of rain snapped him out of his thoughts, and he ran out to the living room to look out the window.

Rain.

It was raining.

It never rained on the Dark Side of the Moon...Never.

He stalked off to Tamara's room, and put a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her.

"Wha...?"She asked, coming to consciousness.

"Tamara..."He whispered, and he felt her glare in the dark.

"What do _you_ want? You aren't welcome in here..."

"Please, come with me for a moment..."He coaxed, and she couldn't help but let the think sweetness in his voice roll into her ears and sweeten her brains thought of him, like honey. Her heart swelled at the thought, and she swallowed once.

"Only for a moment so I can go back to sleep."She grumbled, and Melvin led her outside, where it was pitch black. They had no need for another light when they had the sun and moon, but with the black clouds and rain covering all that, it was pitch black.

"Melvin, it's cold...And dark, I can't see a thing."She sighed.

"Yeah..."He smiled, looking up into the sky, the reawakened soul looking up as well, with hope, and excitement.

"It's raining..."Tamara observed, and Melvin put both his hands on the side of her face, leaning close to hers.

"I know..."He murmured, kissing her lightly. At first, she kissed back, but pulled away, realizing what was happening.

"Don't do that...It's not fair..."

"How is it not fair?"

"Because you're toying with my emotions then...You don't love me Melvin, you said so yourself..Two weeks ago, I'm sure that's something you remember..."She said, recalling the words with pain.

"I know, but that was when I was still trying to fight this all...Trying to prevent it...I said it due to that, and it was a lie...Tamara...I _love_ you...I wanted to fix things right after I said it...I...I can't stand hurting you, and lying is just the same...It was two weeks ago, but in that time I wasn't me, and even before that...I love you..."

"I don't believe you."Tamara scuffed, and Melvin's heart sunk, his soul pushing him to further explain in any chance that she might still believe him...

"I know I hurt you...But please...Please hear me out on this...You bring out the old me, and like Isis says, you have the spark of life that this place needs, especially me...Tamara, I'll tell the whole world if I have to, scream it to the universes if it will make you believe I love you...I don't know quite how to explain it, but with just knowing you in these weeks I have, I know I do...In this world, dark things thrive on getting rid of the good, and that's why many people can't live here, they are too weak, but you, you're somehow good enough, and strong enough to make it here. I really believe something sent you here...For what reason, I'll only believe in one...To show me I'm not dead inside. Not a monster..."He stopped, at a loss of words, but he felt she still didn't believe him.

"It'll take time...And all that time I'll try to prove it to you..."He finished, a little unsure what else to add.

"Why out here? Why in the rain? What moment are you trying to go for?" Tamara asked, still acidic, but half convinced. Some part of her actually did, and wanted all this tension and anger to end, just be loved by him and love him back, unlike before with Chase. But her words were still true, she wanted to know why. The hate for the word had gone down tremendously since she'd been here, and she couldn't help it now.

"The moment I'm going for? The moment you'll believe me! It's a point that you change this world Tamara! It NEVER rains here, EVER. And now, with you here, it does. It's GOT to be something to do with you-"

"Rain's no big deal-"

"No, not here. Here, it is said, the sky only cries when it's sad. Tamara, I hurt you, and you are a part of the Phoenix, and the Phoenix...The Phoenix's home is the sky...It's sad...Upset, for me hurting you..."

"The Phoenix doesn't give a damn about me, and neither does the sky. Just let me go back to sleep-"

Melvin pulled her close, practically drowning her with kisses that seemed to shake her very core, until she ripped her self away.

"I already told you to stop doing that!"She protested angrily.

"Please Tamara...Believe me...I love you...I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, i-"

"Stop saying it!"She said, covering her ears, and Melvin sank to his knees.

"What will get you to believe me?"

"I don't know!" She said soaking wet, her marks gone and her hair and eyes blue. Melvin's skin dripped blood from the water, and he sighed. It must have come from the pool of water, and worked when it rained as well. More information that was useless right now, and he focused more on Tamara.

"Tamara...I love you, and I'll do anything to prove it right here, right now."He sounded serious, and Tamra bit her tongue. She wanted so badly to tell him she believed him, but she couldn't. Not yet, not right now.

"I...I don't know...Just...Don't act so crazy!"

"But you won't believe me!"

"Okay, okay! I believe you! Just stop all this!"

"But you don't believe me..."He mumbled, standing and walking over to her, soaking wet as well.

"Yes...I do..."She said, and he intertwined their fingers, leaning down to put his forehead to hers.

"Then, please, let's try it again..."

"I don't think I can...I-I..."Melvin shook his head.

"Give me a chance to make it right..."She sighed, but started again.

"Melvin, I'm not sure if I'm even right about this..I don't know love, but I'm sure...I'm sure...What I mean...Is...I love you..."She stumbled over words, her heart thumping away in her chest, despite being near Melvin.

He smiled back, kissing her on her lips.

"I love you to Tamara, and I'll do anything I can to prove it to you...Even if that means I'll have to say it again and again, over and over, do any crazy thing you want...It'll be worth it..." He said, and she smiled up at him.

"You crazy fool..."She kissed him lightly, and he wound his arms around her, sweeping her off her feet.

"Love make's you do crazy things..."Melvin lightly laughed, and squeezed her hand.

"Not so much, I haven't gone mad..."

"Not yet, that is. There will be a time...Love makes everyone crazy, and if you're not crazy, you're not in love."

"Are you saying I don't love you?" She questioned. Melvin shook his head, and swept her in his arms again.

"I'm saying you don't realize you're crazy. Even just being out here, in the rain with me, both of us hiding this love from our coworkers, is dangerous and crazy. You just don't realize it." He kissed her gently, and she smiled.

"Alright, you've proven your point, you can let me go now."

"I'm not ready to." He whispered, and she was widely aware of his teeth so near her neck as he kissed down from under her ear down to her shoulder. He laughed as she froze a bit and her breath grew ragged. He pulled away, and looked deep into her eyes.

"You're scared of me...?"His voice was quiet, Tamara could barely hear it, but she shook her head, unable to look away form his eyes.

"No..."She murmured, but Melvin closed his eyes and sighed.

"I knew I should have never drank from you...Don't worry, while out with Akefia I ate-" He stopped, and her eyes widened.

"What did you eat?"She asked, a bit confused, and he looked away form her, turning his body so he didn't face her, speaking quietly.

"Akefia's an asshole, just to be clear before I tell you something you're going to hate me for..."

"We already know that. What's the reason he's an asshole now?"

"He took me to the human world, to talk about things, and in the mist of all that, he went to a strip club."Melvin spoke, looking up to the rain. Tamara's eyes widened, locked on Melvin's figure.

"You didn't...You...You slept with..."

"No, I didn't even look their way, Tamara. Even thought it was at a time when you were hurt, I couldn't. Akefia could tell something was wrong, and guessed it was me starving again..So he ordered two of their finest ladies, and gave us a private room as well. No cameras. Nothing. He knew."

Tamara put it together, and blinked in surprise.

"How did he..."She left it at that. Melvin knew the question:

How did he get Melvin to drink?

"Akefia's a Blood Elf, Tamara. He drinks blood as well, and only really has to drink it on a blood red moon."

Tamara knew where this was going.

"And in the human world...?"

"Yup. He bit her, filling the private room with the scent of it...Driving me crazy. I couldn't stop myself...I...I feel like a monster..."He looked down, afraid to look at her at all.

A few moments of painful silence passed between them, Melvin feeling more like a monster then ever, more so because Tamara was afraid of him.

Tamara watched him with eyes saying everything, if only he would look at her.

"You aren't..."She put her arms around his waist, and hugged him close to her.

"We should go inside...You'll get sick..."Melvin turned around, picking her up in his arms.

She giggled a bit, and he put a finger to her lips to quiet her.

"But wait..."She giggled, and he raised an eyebrow, walking inside.

"I have to tell you how I lost control today..."

"And how's that?" Melvin asked as he set her on a bed, and she looked around. It wasn't her room, it was Melvin's.

"Why are we in YOUR room? I thought you said Akefia-"

"I locked the door, and he doesn't have a key, to either of the doors, so...He can't come in."

"But it means I'll have to go to my room...In the morning."

"Do you want us to go there now?"He asked, and Tamara nodded.

"It's be easier on you, and to keep our little secret."

"Alright, Whatever you want..."He picked her up again, and she laughed.

"I can walk."

"Nah, not when I have to prove I love you...I'd carry you around the world and back."

"You already proved to me you do, you don't have to do-" He stopped her with a light peck on the lips.

"Shh..."He whispered, and opened the door to her room, and sat her on the bed.

"Alright..."Tamara whispered back, trying not to laugh.

Melvin turned to her, now his attention fully focused on what she lost control on.

"What did you lose control on tonight?" He asked, and She bit her lip, averting her eyes from his.

It had to be something, something major. Melvin sighed, and sat behind her, running his hands through her wet hair, waiting.

"Well...You're going to be mad...But I went out drinking with Marik and Bakura." His hands stopped.

"What...?"His voice was ice cold, hard.

"I'm sorry, I was upset, and they dragged me along-"

"Tamara..."Melvin sighed, his head resting on the top of hers.

"I'm sorry...I didn't get too drunk though, I can still sit here and talk normally, I can dance fine too!"

"Dance?" Melvin questioned, his voice still disapproving and disappointed.

"Yeah, Uhm...Bakura always asks me to dance when we go drinking...And he said something weird this time..."

"What brings all this up?"

"The fact you were honest with me...I think I should be able to be honest with you..."

"I was honest, and always am honest. There were times you weren't?"

"No, not completely. There were things I didn't tell you though..."

"Alright, go on."

"Well, he said that last time, I kissed him..And when I said it was probably him just dreaming, he showed me what happened, kissing me again...I told him I couldn't, but at the time I still thought you didn't love me...And at first kissed him back...But I don't feel anything for him..."

"I'm not worried about Bakura taking you away form me...Besides, I'm not letting you go." Melvin laughed a bit, a smile in his voice as he kissed her neck, but she spoke up.

"And then that other time, by the pool of water when you asked what Akefia did to me, and I told you nothing...They day we trained first."

Melvin stopped. He had forgotten that.

"Yes..?"He asked, waiting. He heard her swallow, well aware she felt guilty, but this must have been something huge.

"Nothing, I mean, he just touched my hand." She shook her head, and Melvin raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowed, confused.

"Tamara." He said in a warning tone, and she shut her eyes and took a deep breath, speaking rapidly.

"And before that he kissed me randomly one day, and the moment was too intense at at the time, we weren't doing any of this. It was just a kiss, and nothings happened after, he actually avoids me-"

Melvin was in front of her immediately.

"He kissed...You?"Melvin's words screamed something Tamara found was a mix of jealousy and concern.

"Y-Yeah..."She looked into his intense yellow eyes, and he didn't blink once for what felt like hours in their stare. Tamara's eyes screamed guilt, and regret, but she couldn't read what Melvin felt, and as he let go of her wrist he so tightly held, he turned away from her.

He didn't say anything, and the silence killed Tamara.

"Melvin...I-" He held up a hand for her to stop, and she shut her mouth. He finally turned and sat behind her, arms winding around her stomach and pulling her into his chest.

"I'm not worried about him stealing you away either."

"But-"

"What were you going to say?" He asked, obviously hoping it wasn't about the subject before.

"...You said-" He cut her off, squeezing her.

"If it's about THAT. I don't want to hear a word." He stiffly said, and Tamara nodded, his body almost fully wrapping around hers. She wasn't sure what to do, Melvin was never like this. Not even when she woke up next to him, he was usually as far as he could be without falling off the bed. What was this?

And then she recalled his words.

She was bringing back the old Melvin. But was this really how he was like before? Just hiding all this? She couldn't be sure, and Melvin surely wasn't giving anything away.

Melvin let her go, and stood up, walking towards the door.

"Kissing him was a bad, bad thing."

"I know..."She mumbled, and he sighed.

"He's a Blood Elf...Once he gets the tiniest smell of he wants, he goes insane. Whether it be love, blood, sex, whatever it may be, if he want's it, he goes crazy over getting it. I should know, I grew up with him."

"Grew up with him? I thought you were brought here as a human soldier? And you fought against the Gremlins?" Melvin stayed silent.

"There's a lot you don't know. But that's for another time. I'm happy he's stayed away, but I'll have to check on him more often, see how he is. But from what you said, he could be getting over it."

"Well...That's good, right?"

"Extremely, and he's also got a new fascination from the two weeks we spent away, so I have no worries." Melvin nodded, and came back to her, crawling over her to lay down next to her, looking up into her relieved eyes.

"Yeah..."She curled up next to him, and he smiled, his hands suddenly filled with hers, and he laughed.

"I take it that the pool of water is forgotten?"

"Not entirely, I still want to go, but only because you're going to be there..."She yawned, nodding off, and he breathed evenly, looking up to the sky light.

Allen wasn't sure what to say, and as he sat down in Isis' living room, he sighed.

"I'm glad you came." She smiled, handing him a mug of something called coffee. He nodded.

"I came here on business."

"Oh? What subject are we talking about here?" She raised an eyebrow, and again, Allen sighed, the shadows in his face dimming it, but the fire she lit felt warm, and a lot like Ethen.

"About Someone."

"Someone? Any specific, 'someone'?" Allen shook his head with a negative response, keeping silence as his memories fell back to Hillery. She was so much like Isis, it scared him sometimes, but he knew things were different with Isis. Isis was a good heart and soul, much too good for this world.

"A someone that will go unnamed for now. I can't exactly say much."

"Then why come to me?"

"You have answers."

Bakura hadn't thought about it much, but he was beginning to get sick of Allen. He always seemed to step in at the wrong time, and Bakura didn't need another person to be boss him around.

"Look, Ryou was just looking out for Tamara. It's not like he's actually ruining everything like that for a reason."

"Right, he probably had it all planned."

"I doubt that. Think on the bright side, we cheered her up. Just watch how happy she is tomorrow." Marik said, as he picked up a book from Bakura's desk, setting it back down as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, well. Remember what we talked about last time?"

"Specifically? No. Why do you ask?"

"I think she likes me." Bakura stepped on the subject carefully as he played with a knife he owned, and when Marik didn't answer, he looked up.

Marik was staring straight at him, with a look he didn't like.

"What? I'm sexy and I know it. She can't resist me."

"Well, be careful. I mean, you don't..."

"No." Bakura shook his head.

"I mean, if that's what you wanna' pursue, I guess it'd make out party days a little awkward...I don't wanna' be a third wheel or anything-"

"Stop. I'll just have fun while I can. Besides, I don't think she'll be coming to our party nights any longer. With Melvin, Ryou, Akefia and Allen. Not to mention the Phoenix. She's got lock down."

"Which is a bunch of bullshit."

"A TON of bullshit. Just because she's out and having a good time doesn't mean she's going to go and off herself with alcohol poisoning. I mean, we're just having fun. We don't mean any harm."

"Yeah, but look at how much she drinks."

"Hmmm."Was all he said, and Marik sighed.

"I'm going to go to bed. You can sit her and ponder all of this, but I need to sleep. Night."

"Yeah, well. Night." Bakura stood up, and turned to his window.

What did she want with that boy and girl from the human world?

_**Authors note: Well, hot damn, I'm on a role :D**_

_**Third part of the original chapter, and now you can see why I split it up in 3 respectively long chapters. I don't think even I could take this much in ONE chapter, so, well, three chapters it is :D!**_

_**This is finally the resolve to the two weeks away, and Melvin can't help but become his old self. He finally gets told some secrets from Tamara's time in this world, and maybe, perhaps, Bakura's on to something? Is he smart enough to be onto something? XD We'll ask Ryou.**_

_**What's this about Allen and Isis? Someone, business? WHAT?**_

_**I just love cliff hangers, and really bad puns. Especially the puns. :) **_

_**Read and review! :D**_

_**Tamara, Allen, and the Dark Side of the Moon world © Me**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters, ethen reference © their creators/ Rift (for eth race)**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Losing the Rules**

Melvin awakened to his long, lengthy body almost fully wrapped around Tamara. They both were still damp, and the blankets were just the same. He sighed, lifting his head a bit to look around. Tamara's features were still effected by the water, and he smiled, lifting her in his arms gently. It was too cold and wet here, it was a wonder either of them weren't sick already. He laughed to himself and gently set her on his bed, wrapping all the blankets around them and himself as well.

She shivered a bit, and blinked herself awake.

"Melvin...?"She yawned, and her eyes went wide as she processed where she was.

"Yes?" He smiled, a little laugh in his voice.

"What are we doing in your room?" She asked, surprised.

"Your room was damp and cold...So this was warmer." He kissed her cheek, and squeezed her tighter. She laughed a bit, and turned to face him.

"You're sure? You're amazing secret room? Us being here?"

"Nothing is more secret, nor more scandalous, crazy, insane, beautiful thing like this, like us." Melvin laughed again, genuinely happy. He was finally him, and he didn't have to hid this, didn't have to ignore it. Tamara would accept him for who he was, with open arms. He smiled, resting his forehead to hers.

"You're so happy today." She laughed with him, whispering and enjoying the warmth. After being in the rain for what felt like an hour, and then sleeping in wet clothes, this was nice, and warm.

But her clothes weren't. She shivered a bit, but tried to ignore it.

"Are you still cold?" Melvin asked, looking her over. She didn't reply and Melvin got up for a quick moment, walking to a dresser and pulling out a big t-shirt and sweat pants.

"Here." He tossed them to her, and she blinked up at him.

"What?" She tilted her head sideways, confused.

"Change into these to stay warm. You'll catch a cold if you sleep in those." He sighed, and walked into his bathroom, shutting the door behind him with his own set of new clothes.

Tamara looked at the clothes he had given her, and bit her lip. She was unsure whether to put them on, or just stay in what she was in.

Deciding against getting yelled at by Melvin, she quickly slipped the clothes on, the shirt going down to just above her knees and the pants, although shorts on Melvin, maybe even Capri's, but they fell around her feet like bell bottoms for Tamara. She sighed, but was satisfied that they were warm.

Melvin came out in pajama pants and a t-shirt, smiling as he looked over his clothes on Tamara.

"You should wear my clothes more often." He laughed, and she raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to be this covered up?"

Melvin laughed.

"If anything, I wouldn't want that Mara. I just like that feeling I get when I see you wearing what I wear. My skin was covered by that, and now, it's covering you. What warmed me-"

"Alright! Shush! You make it sound like I'm wearing your favorite type of lingerie." Tamara nearly slapped herself as Melvin just smiled, and she glared in return.

"Come on. How can this not sound something like that? You're wearing my clothes. It's in almost every romantic comedy-"

"We aren't a romantic comedy." Tamara laughed, shaking her head.

"How do you know?"

"Come on, look at the facts! We're just crazy insane, sneaking behind our boss's back with this, not to mention nearly everyone else, and the only thing that we ever get served to us is irony. That's hardly a romantic comedy."

"I think it's the perfect mixture for one. Ask any director today, if they filmed us, we'd have the perfect ratings. We have those ironic moments, dramatic moments, romantic moments, what else do you need?" He laughed, shrugging.

"We are talking about a romantic comedy here, aren't we? What about the comedic moments? We never seem to have any of those."

"This is one." Melvin pointed out, picking up Tamara and sitting her down on his bed, next to him.

"We can just cross out a romantic comedy for our love life, solve all the problems." She rolled her eyes, and Melvin kissed her on the cheek.

"Alright, what kind of movie are we?" Melvin asked, his tone and mood light, but Tamara looked off into the distance with a thoughtful nature, actually thinking this through.

"What if we're one of those movies where everyone dies at the end?"

"I doubt that. I won't let anything hurt you." Melvin squeezed her tightly, the power in his words stronger then Tamara could take.

"Well, yeah, but what if?"

"There is not 'what if' Tamara. Not when it comes to talking about you being hurt."

"Are you sure-" Tamara started but Melvin silenced her with a look. He stood up, and set her on the bed gently, leaning over her, and peering into her eyes.

"Do you doubt my abilities to protect you? Well then, seems I have two things to prove." He smiled brightly, and Tamara rolled her eyes.

"No, I don't. But seriously...You have to think of all the possibilities of the future..."Tamara trailed off, not sure where this came from. She even confused herself.

Melvin kissed above her ear, and slowly moved his lips down her skin to her shoulder, smiling as he reached the collar of his shirt on her.

"You know...I could have this off in three seconds, my lips could..."He stopped, cut off from Tamara's lips and his hands going up her shirt, his palms resting on her flat stomach and he smiled, his teeth pressing up against her lips. He breathed with her, and her breathing slowed down as he kept it in sync, his hands snaking up her back. He laughed gently, his lips moving to her neck, lifting her shirt up a bit and looking into her eyes with a playful look. His lips melted into her skin, both hot as Tamara's marks started to show, small steam coming from them as the smell of ashes, fire and cinnamon filled the room. Melvin laughed and ignored it, enjoying himself and being this close to Tamara.

He kissed the side of her stomach, where he had bitten before, and he snapped back to reality.

His eyes slowly moved up to Tamara's equally widened with surprise. Melvin backed away, off his bed, and leaned on the door of his closet. He looked down and to the side, away from Tamara. She sat up, her breath a little uneven and confused.

"Melvin...I..."

"Shh...Don't...Just...A minute." He held up a finger, shaking his head. Tamara sighed, and leaned on her stomach looking up at him. He breathed, and finally looked into her eyes.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I don't know what got into me." He said, his voice apologetic, and flat. He didn't know what had gotten into him...

Tamara frowned.

"I never said that I didn't like it...I mean...You're always so proper, so-"

"Stop. You already know us doing something as simple and plain as me sleeping in your bed with you is wrong, and crazy on so many levels. But doing stuff like that? There's not even a word for that kind of crazy! Tamara-"

"Well, maybe it felt nice to be treated like I was wanted for all of three seconds." Tamara scuffed, and walked to the door.

"I'll risk getting a cold." She said as she turned to Melvin, waiting for him to unlock the door.

"Mara..."Melvin looked at her, but she avoided his eyes, and stared at the door, the opposite wall, anywhere she couldn't see him. But he could tell she was hurt. Offended.

He sighed. Sometimes, he wished she wouldn't take simple words and actions so literal at times. But he couldn't say anything, everyone did that.

"What?" She asked, still avoiding his eyes. He sighed, and turned her so she was facing him, her back against the door.

"I'm not unlocking that door...And 'feel wanted for three seconds'? Tamara..."He groaned, sighing.

"Well, yeah. It felt nice to feel like you actually wanted me that way, crazy or not..." He moved his body closer to hers, his lips dangerously close to hers as he spoke.

"Don't think I don't want you like that." His voice was sure, confident. Mysterious, yet alpha male in this situation. His breath was hot on her skin, and her heart skipped off, giddy with sure intimate interaction. She took guilty pleasures in moments like this, she never got them with Chase, but with Melvin...It seemed he was holding back, and she didn't like that. She wanted to feel wanted, but it was petty and stupid to think such.

"You don't show it." She spat, and Melvin's eyes flashed to hers in a heartbeat, intense and angry.

Offended and annoyed, Melvin's hand snaked up under her hair, his other arm wrapping around her waist, holding her to him tightly. He kissed her, and she found satisfaction, her own arms wrapping around his neck, and standing on the balls of her feet to almost reach him to his height.

"I want you like that..."He whispered, and inhaled the scent of her before letting go.

"Well, how come you've never shown you do?"

"Because, even I have rules Tamara. I believe-" He stopped.

"What...Is someone coming?" She asked, whispering. He shook his head, and sighed, picking her up off her feet again, putting his forehead to hers.

"No...I'm just the old fashioned kind of guy...I kind of want to woo you a bit...And then...Maybe...Slip a ring on that little pretty finger of yours." He smiled, kissing her cheek.

Tamara gave him an odd look, her heart squeezing a bit.

"So, Isis. What can I do for you?" Ryou asked, smiling.

"I need to talk to my brother...Immediately." Isis sighed, wanting this to be a hasty visit.

"Well..He's locked the door...And we don't have a key." Ryou looked down, intimidated by Isis' presence.

"I do. But don't tell Akefia. Let me through." Isis brushed past Ryou, and Ryou shrugged, walking the other way.

"Wait, did you see Tamara on your way here?"

"Yes, she was training."

Isis unlocked the door with her key, hastily shutting it behind her and turning around to find him holding Tamara in his arms, lifting his head a bit as she entered the room.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" Isis turned and Melvin sighed.

"Relax Isis. It isn't anything dirty." Melvin's voice was deep, and Tamara bit her lip as Isis turned, smiling.

"Well, who's getting sneakier? Glad you took my advice."

"She knows?" Tamara looked at Melvin with wide eyes.

"Yes. She knew since the second day..I think. Anyways, what do you need?" He asked, propping up a on an elbow.

"I need to talk to you...Alone...Anyway she can get out without being seen?"

"I would hate to have her leave, but I suppose everyone else is awake?" Melvin frowned, finding it hard to drag his eyes away from Tamara.

"Yeah..I told them she is training."

"Thank you. Tamara..."He looked her over at Isis, and sighed.

"She's got my clothes...Her's are wet...How do we explain that?" He asked.

"I fell in?" Tamara suggested, and Isis laughed.

"I could guess that..."

"Alright. The bathroom's right there, go change." He ran a hand down her hair, and she smiled, going to change.

"You look like you've had a fun night." Isis commented, and Melvin sighed.

"Isis. I already told you. Nothing dirty went on. I..."Melvin leaned closer to Isis. "I really want to take it slow with her...I love her..." Melvin felt that same rush of happy emotions flow back into his veins, and Isis smiled.

"She gives you life Melvin. I can see why you do..."

"No, I don't just love her because of that...I can't explain why Isis. It's just...Like she really was sent here to save me..."

"Maybe, but I don't have much time to talk right now Melvin, we have something major coming up...And Akefia's putting us all in danger..."

Melvin knew what this was about, and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah...I know.. He told me...How could you even...Isis...why would you let him do that? You risk safety to take a bribe?"

"Bribe...?Melvin what are you...Oh, Akefia lied, didn't he?"

"I didn't think you would have...What did he really offer?"

"He offered...Something."

Something was up.

Ryou hummed a tune as he sat in the kitchen, biting a bagel and reading a book.

"Ryou." Allen said, coming out of the shadows. Ryou looked up, and raised an eyebrow.

"You know you don't have to do that...There are doors."

Ryou took Allen's silence meaningfully, and shrugged.

"What did you need?" He asked, setting the book down.

"Nothing in particular. Why don't we go for a walk?"

"I can't. Akefia needs me on call, since we can't find Tamara, and I was told to stay here. Can't we talk here?"

"No. Tamara will come back soon. We need to talk soon. Now." He slammed his palm down on the table, and Ryou sighed.

"I can't. Not until-" Ryou stopped as Tamara walked into the kitchen. She looked wore out and tired, and Ryou smiled.

"Good morning. Did you have fun training on your own?" Ryou asked, and Tamara sighed.

"I guess. I mean, training in a forest against wild animals and what not is pretty exciting. But it takes a lot out of you."

"Oh, maybe one day I could join you...You didn't pass out did you?"

"No, and I made sure I was alright. I lived off the land for one night." Tamara shrugged, and Allen grabbed Ryou's elbow.

"Alright...Hey, Akefia wanted someone on call...His first option was you, but you weren't here. Could you cover for me? I kind of have something urgent..."

Tamara gulped.

"Uh, sure." She nodded, and turned away from Ryou and Allen as they left.

What was she going to do? Akefia wanted someone on call, and that meant running around with Akefia.

She silently hoped that he was over whatever infatuation he had with her.

Akefia walked out of his room with papers, and nearly ran into Tamara.

"Oh, there you are. About time you got back from training. Anyways, I need you to put these in my files, and then I'm going to call a meeting for everyone. Make sure everyone's there. Alright? Oh, is that my coffee? Thanks." He took Tamara's coffee, and turned back around, giving Tamara the papers. She gaped, but sighed, doing as she was told.

Thirty minutes later, The whole group sat around waiting for Akefia.

"You're all late, don't let it happen again." Akefia laughed, joining the group.

"We were waiting for you, Sir." Ryou corrected, and Akefia shrugged.

"Let's get down to business."

"What's this business for?"Bakura huffed.

"Kyrah. We're bringing her back." Akefia smiled, and gasps were shared among those who knew about her.

"Kyrah? Who's that?" Tamara asked, and Akefia laughed.

"I forget you weren't here when she was, Allen too. Anyways, she used to be in this world, but she was too weak and got saved by human psychic's. She's in the human world, but she belongs here. With us. And we're taking her back."

"Why?" Allen asked, shadows in his voice. He had to at least stay connected with the group.

"Because this is where she belongs. She belongs to us. With us." Akefia looked around the room slowly, looking into everyone's eyes and left the room.

Melvin looked down in thought, everyone filled with sadness.

"He can't be serious...Can he?" Bakura asked, disbelieving.

"He is." Melvin nodded, and all eyes were on him. Aside from Akefia, Melvin was their group leader, the second in command, and they looked to him for direction.

"What should we do...? She CAN'T come back here...I...I wouldn't know what to do..."

"I doubt she'll remember anything." Melvin said, looking around. He wasn't sure, no one was at the moment.

Ryou's face was full of shock and fear. She couldn't come back...No, not after everything that had happened before...It was too much, even if she most likely wouldn't remember...He would. Bakura and Marik would, Melvin, Isis and Akefia...They would all remember...

And that was something Ryou couldn't take.

He stood up quickly and ran out of the room, down the hall and into his lab. He had to do something, keep his hands busy. Get his mind off it.

'Make something...Create something...' His mind kept saying, repeating. He needed to get this out, he needed to make something...

His hands worked on their own without him actually processing what he was making, nor doing.

"Ryou?" Isis put her hand on his shoulder, and he stopped for only a second.

"Yes? I'm busy. Creating something...Making it..."

"Ryou...You know what happens when you make stuff in a mood like this-"

"I have to. It has to go away now. So, please...If you may leave me?"

"Ryou..."

"Please go." Isis held back a moment, but nodded and turned away, shutting the door behind her quietly.

Ryou tapped away at the computer, and from what seemed only minutes, it was done. Created.

Perfect.

He carefully took it in his hands, and studied it. What was it? What would it do? Maybe...Maybe he could get a test subject? No, he couldn't do that. He'd just have to re-read what it was made of and each of their reactions.

He was about to set it down when a thought occurred. This couldn't just sit there. It couldn't just be out in the open...

He took it with him.

Tamara stared into the empty fridge and sighed.

"Nothing." She spat, and slammed the door just as Ryou came into the room with a glass of some green liquid.

"Nothing in the fridge?" He asked, searching cupboards.

"Nope." Tamara said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well...Guess I have to go shopping...Again." Ryou sighed.

"Could I help?" Tamara asked, besides, it's not like she had anything else to do.

"You'd want to...?" Ryou asked, surprised.

"Sure, why not?"Tamara shrugged, and Ryou smiled.

"I'd love the company and help. Thank you." He turned towards the door, leaving behind the liquid.

Tamara picked it up carefully, examining it. What was it? Some kind of martini? It smelled fruity and nice, sweet, but had an orange twist to it. She shrugged and downed the liquid, running after Ryou after putting the glass in the sink.

Melvin sighed, and Marik looked to him, a question leaping out of his mouth faster then a breath could form in his lungs.

"What are we going to do?"

"We're going to respect Akefia's decision." Melvin said flatly, and Marik held his head in his hands in frustration.

"We can't! You KNOW Melvin...She...She can't come back..."

"He's our boss, our leader. We must-"

"And what happens when he snaps? He's on the verge of it Melvin...And this time...I don't think we'll get lucky...It already just finally stopped buzzing through everywhere, if it were to happen again...I don't think it'd ever die down..."

"Marik. He leads us, and we follow loyally-"

"And what about you? If she comes back and remembers, everyone knows what that will do to you...It WILL happen again Melvin. You can't let it-"

"This conversation is done. Marik. You know very well I can't change his mind-"

"But didn't you love her too?"

Melvin stopped.

"No. Not anymore. That was just a simple misunderstanding."

"Melvin...You..You WANT her to come back!" Marik looked at him in disbelief.

Melvin had his forearm pressing against Marik's neck, and pinning him to a wall in three seconds.

"I do NOT. Want. HER. BACK. SHE. IS. DEAD. TO. ME!" He snapped, and released Marik. Marik gasped for air, looking up to Melvin with scared eyes.

"Then why won't you make him stop this? !"

"Because...I can't.."

"Overthrow him! You know you can!"

"Hush Marik! If he finds out anything about this conversation, we're both dead." Melvin snapped, and Marik nodded after a moment.

"Yeah...But Melvin...I'm not sure what I'd do if she was here...I'd...We all.."

"Yes, everyone loved her...But she only loved Akefia."

"And then..."

"I know."

"How did you get over it?"

"I just did. There's no justification for it. You just do."

"You make it look easy..." Marik mumbled, walking away.

Melvin sighed. He only got over it because of Tamara, and even then he was weary of it happening again. He wasn't sure what he'd do if Kyrah came back...

Akefia smiled up at Isis.

"Usually it's Melvin who tries to talk me out of this..."He laughed, and Isis shook her head.

"He knows you're answer...But I'm not as accepting of that answer as he is...Akefia, you CAN'T bring her back here...She doesn't remember, and we won't get lucky again."

"How do you know? We could."

"Why?"

"Why? Chance is a wonderful thing."

"No, why do you want to ruin this peace everyone's come to amends with? Ruin them again?"

"I don't. I'm just simply looking for my Queen."

"Queen?"

"Yes, once I take over and enslave all the humans possible, I'll need a ruling queen, will I not? And you can't do that job." Akefia shrugged, standing up and going to the window.

"But why her?"

"Because...I love her Isis."

"What you feel is lust..You want power...And whatever else you want form the evil woman-"

"She's just like you then, isn't she? Anyone here is evil."

"What she did-"

"Is forgotten."

"Akefia! It isn't forgotten!"

"So what? She led them on a little too far. Big deal."

"She did more then that! To make them prove it, they almost killed themselves!"

"She wanted them strong for fighting here. If anything, she's the only one who understands this damn place."

"Akefia, how can you say that! These people you lead are here for you! They follow you loyally, but for you to just go and betray them a second time shows they don't matter to you-"

"WHAT MATTERS IS THAT SHE LOVES ME!"

"WHY? !"

"Because, without a Queen who loves her King, she isn't loyal. She's nothing. I need to be able to control her. Besides, I didn't think you cared. She's just a puny, stupid human."

"Yet you hold her so high...If you HATE humans so much, why make one you're Queen? !"

Akefia couldn't' answer her.

"Get out. Now. LEAVE!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, and Isis turned away, slamming the door behind her.

_**Authors note: A LOT happened :p **_

_**And it was wonderful, wasn't it? XD lol. I really love this chapter, for more then one reason. I can't explain it, I just do.**_

_**So. Will the wooing of Melvin begin? What did Allen want with Ryou? Why bring Kyrah back? What else did she do to the team? Why do I keep bombarding you with questions?**_

_**Why is there another cliff hanger?**_

_**lol, You'll just have to wait and see.**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters © their creators**_

_**Tamara, Allen, and everything that has to do with the Dark side of the moon © Me**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: When the tough get's going, GET TOUGH.**

Ryou looked back cautiously at Tamara. She looked sick, almost, she was inanimate.

"I'm sorry if I'm such a bore it's literally making you sick." Ryou said dryly, picking up a peanut butter jar.

"No, no..It's not you...It's just...I don't know..." Tamara didn't dare mention she drank his martini, and that it certainty didn't agree with her. Most likely because she hadn't eaten anything before it.

"Are you sick...? OW!" Ryou's hand was gently placed on Tamara's forehead, and he pulled it back quickly as her marks were blazing hot.

"I don't know...I FEEL sick..." Tamara said, running short of breath.

"I should get you home...Can you hold on for a few more minutes? You can wait in the car..." Tamara shook her head at Ryou.

"No, we'll finish shopping. I'm tired of not eat-" And with that, Tamara was down for the count.

"Tamara!" Ryou exclaimed, dropping the basket and catching her.

Her marks were sizzling, slowly disappearing into her skin, or maybe it was her skin disappearing, Ryou wasn't sure, but he quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Melvin.

"Melvin! It's Tamara! She passed out and-" The other end was silent, and Ryou knew he was already on his way.

Allen sat on the roof with Isis in silence.

"He's an idiot." Isis scuffed, angrily. She'd mumble something about 'him' being something every so often, but Allen didn't dare ask.

But this time, Allen didn't have to. Isis began her rant on how much she hated Akefia some days, and calling him every vile name she could think of.

"Tell me how you really feel..." Allen remarked, and earned a glare from Isis.

"You don't know what bringing her back will mean...What it's going to do..."

"I take that it's not something good?"

"Not good at all. That woman is the Queen Bitch."

"Don't like her much, do you?" Allen laughed to himself.

"She's going to hurt everyone again...And I'm not even sure what she'll do to Tamara...After Melvin's worked so hard..." Isis trailed off.

"What...?" Allen caught on.

"Kyrah led them all on...Almost made them all kill each other, themselves. It was always violent. I stopped coming over after a while, especially when she'd try to poison my food."

"Did she have a contract?"

"No. She was just an evil woman...Vile, hated any woman that came here...And Akefia want's her back...To be his Queen after he goes through with his silly plan to enslave all humans..." Isis frowned.

Allen was silent.

"He plans to kill the young, the old, and anyone who's not strong enough. He doesn't care...He hates humans."

"Then why make a human a Queen?"

"Because she's vile, evil, sinister, and in Akefia's eyes, strong."

"But.."

"He also needs someone he can control. If she still remembers some little of what happened here, she might still love him...And he can control her if she loves him..."

"What made her that way?"

"This world. She's nice as a human in the human world. But this world, is a dark world. It morphs people..Mostly humans. When some can't survive and either die or get saved by the human psychics, others get changed into what they need to be to survive..."

"Hmmm..."

"And she was turned into the Queen of Mean. And Akefia's perfectly okay with her coming back. He thinks if she put them all through that, she's really the only one who understands how this place works..."

"Nothing works the way we think..."

"She was just evil."

"Then why not get a contract against her?"

"Because Akefia would know. And he'd go right after me...I just have to bite my tongue and wish for the best..." Allen sighed, and stood up.

"I've something to take care of...I'm sorry about your problems." He put his scarf back over his mouth, and jumped down into the shadows.

Akefia paced in his office, irate at Isis. Why did she have to go and say those things? He was just...He just needed someone he could control, and someone...

Someone to get his mind of Tamara. He loved Kyrah, as much as he could love her with her being a human, at least. But when he cleared the fact she was human out of the way...He couldn't hold it back. He loved her, and he didn't even want to give even the tiniest ray of sunlight on the thought that he could love Tamara. He loved Kyrah for the moment, maybe some other time he would give Tamara the chance.

His phone rang, and he picked it up with a shaky hand, adrenaline pulsing in his veins.

"Hello?" He asked, hastily.

"Akefia. Tamara passed out at the grocery store. So we're taking her home now. Ryou's going to try to see whats wrong."

"Alright...Why did you call me?" Akefia asked, confused and shaky.

"You told us to always report to you when something happened."

"I don't care..I'll see it soon enough, won't I?"

"Well...Akefia, are you alright? You issued that rule..."

"I'm fine." He snapped the phone shut, and spun on his heels to look out the window.

Melvin paced in his room. Tamara had passed out, and Ryou said he needed time...Time to heal her? Melvin didn't like not knowing, didn't like just sitting here waiting...She could be dying...From this world...But he couldn't jump to that measure just yet, it was probably her not eating and then training.

Melvin sank into a chair, his head in his hands. Tamara was hurt...and he wasn't there...

"Melvin...I need your help. You're her caretaker, right? Well, I can't figure out-"

"Let's go." Melvin stood up quickly, pulling Ryou down the hallway with him.

Tamara was laying there, her marks growing bigger and almost devouring her skin. Melvin stared with no emotion, although he felt like he was dying. He couldn't show any emotions with Ryou here...So he moved quickly.

His big hand picked up her dainty one, and a he took out a 20oz bottle from his bag, looking at it.

"What's that?" Ryou asked, confused.

"Water." From the pool of water they went to so often. If he could get her marks away for even just a little bit, they might stop setting her on fire. But would it be enough?

"Get me a rag." He ordered Ryou, who scurried down the hall and returned with a rag shortly after. Melvin poured the water on the rag, and placed the rag on her forehead. The Phoenix crown started to fade, and shortly after, the others stopped burning.

Was the Phoenix trying to burn Tamara? Melvin sighed, standing up.

"What was that?"Ryou asked, staring in amazement.

"Water."

"No, I meant...Why was she burning?"

"You're the scientist."

"Well, the only possible answer...Is the Phoenix...But why would she burn her own host? It doesn't make sense...I'll research further..." Ryou said, pulling out his laptop and typing away.

"Do you need me any further?" Melvin asked. He wanted to stay, more then ever, but the Melvin before Tamara would have left as soon as he was no longer needed. He needed to stay that way in Ryou's eyes.

"No, I don't . Thank you." Ryou called from the computer screen, and Melvin left the room without another word.

Isis huffed, spinning in the black egg chair, and crossed her arms over her chest.

Then Melvin came in his room, at first surprised to see her, but shrugged it off as the tough facade fell and he flopped on his bed, throwing his forearm over his eyes.

"Kyrah's return got you to?" Isis huffed, but Melvin said nothing.

Isis stood up.

"Melvin...What's..."She didn't have to ask. She could feel it.

"She'll be fine Melvin..." Isis reassured, placing a hand on his head and gently petting his head.

"It almost burned her alive...Why would the Phoenix do that?"

"Well, in the case of trying to rid of toxins, maybe..."

"But she hasn't eaten or drank anything!"

"Well, let's ask Ryou if she has...He tested her stomach acids..."

Melvin sighed, but walked with Isis down the hall again.

"Actually...Yes it says...Oh no..."Ryou said, looking at the screen in fear.

"What?" Melvin peered over his shoulder, not understanding any of the science talk.

"It says...That she did drink something...A poison." Ryou stammered, turning to look at Tamara's body.

"Poison? Why would she...?" Isis asked, looking to both the men in the room. Melvin's eyes glinted with worry, and fear. Ryou's mimicked the same thing, and they both stepped toward her, Ryou getting there first and checking her vitals.

"She's defiantly not playing Juliet..."Ryou sighed, and looked at the screen again, reading the ingredients...

"But we didn't have anything..."

"We didn't have food...But she wouldn't' be so hungry she'd down a kitchen chemical, would she?" Isis asked, and Ryou shook his head.

"She's brighter then you think. She'd know that would kill her...But this...Maybe someone poisoned her? I can't think of anyone who would, let alone that we had any food here...The forest!" Ryou exclaimed, running back to the computer.

"What?" Isis asked.

"She was training in the forest! She said she lived off the land! She could have eaten something poisonous!"Ryou tapped away furiously again, but stopped a few minutes later.

"What? Was it something bad...?" Isis asked, and Ryou shook his head.

"There's no sign of anything organic in her stomach. She hasn't eaten ANYTHING in a few days...How could she train? She'd pass out..." Ryou turned around.

"I think she'd been lying about where she's been..."Ryou finished, looking at Tamara, and Melvin shared a look with Isis. They'd have to tell the truth.

Melvin walked to the camera in the corner, and picked it off the wall and held it in his hand. Erased the last hour or so of video tape, and left it at the image of Ryou checking Tamara's vitals over and over on a loop.

"What?" Ryou asked confused.

"She hasn't bee the only one lying..."Melvin said and Isis closed the door, and drew all the shades down in the room, putting on classical music to play over their conversation.

"What do you mean...?"

"If you can find a cure for this mysterious poison, I'll tell you. Alright?" Ryou nodded slowly, and went back to his computer. Melvin sat down with Isis, and they both waited in silence.

Ryou sighed, turning around.

"I haven't found a cure yet...But...I think I know...Where and what the poisons are..."He said quietly, and Isis raised an eyebrow, Melvin kept his face in a flat line.

"What?"

"Isis, earlier...You say me making something..."

"Yes...?"

"It's what she drank." Ryou looked up meekly, and Isis' jaw dropped as Melvin's eyes widened.

"WHAT?" Melvin stood up and hissed.

"I think she thought it was some kind of drink...Because I've misplaced it, and the last time I remember having it...Was in the kitchen right before we went shopping...And she was a few seconds late catching up to me..." Ryou explained, and the rest fell in line.

"And you hadn't gotten around to making a cure?" Isis asked, and Melvin gritted his teeth.

"She's an idiot!" He growled, and Isis put a hand on his arm.

"Brother. Sit. Let us talk rationally." Isis somehow got through to him, and he sat down.

"I haven't had time to make a cure..I didn't even know what it did yet..."

"Well we need to work on that. NOW."

"I'm already on that. The computer's running counters to the toxins it has in it. So far I have two possible mixtures..."

Melvin nodded, and Ryou turned back around to work already mixing liquids. He examined the first one, testing on a little bit of it, and then finally turned back to them.

"Test number one. If it works, she'll be awake in an hour. If not, we'll try the next one." Ryou went over to Tamara and poured it into her IV.

Allen walked down the road and sighed. He couldn't find it anywhere. It was like it had vanished. But he had a clue.

Only one person who truly hated him here.

Bakura.

It had been an hour an a half. Nothing happened. Melvin watched Ryou hustle about the room, and finally stood up.

"Anything?"

"No."

"I've got to go..."Isis looked at her phone and cringed.

"You can leave." Melvin waved her away, and Isis sighed.

Ryou gave her the second liquid, and after 30 minutes, Melvin saw some change in her appearance, but not for the better.

Her slightly tanned skin was turning pale, and her marks were fading.

"Ryou..."

"I know...There's nothing I can do...Her bodies reacting it's own way...You should go rest a bit.."

"Please Ryou...Let me..."Melvin stopped.

"What?"

"Can you keep this room on lock down?"

"Yes...But why?"

"Because...I need to stay with her."

"Melvin, although you are second hand, you aren't required to stay with a member-"

"It's not for a group duty..."

"Then...?" Ryou asked, He had an answer, but didn't want to offend or anger Melvin.

"Ryou...I love her." Melvin looked to Ryou, his eyes full of worry, sadness, and something Ryou's never seen in Melvin's eyes:

Fear. Fear the woman he loved would die.

"Oh..."Ryou looked down, a bit embarrassed.

"She was with me yesterday night...In my room. No, nothing dirty. Just...I've been training her. And that one day Akefia made her cry...I've been sleeping in her bed with her ever since...Except those tow weeks I was gone...Just...Please...Maybe being near me will help her..."

Ryou didn't want to say that her being in this poisoned coma and him being right next to her wouldn't change anything, but he knew Melvin knew that. He knew this, and Melvin couldn't lose something like this again.

Ryou nodded.

"Sure...I'll...I'll leave...Tell me if she wakes up..."Ryou left, and Melvin looked to Tamara, taking a hold of one of her hands and kissing it.

"Please...Wake up...Don't...Don't leave me here..." Melvin whispered, tears forming in his eyes. His chest ached.

Bakura ran, avoiding the shadows.

"Did you get it?" Marik asked, and Bakura nodded, laughing.

"Yup!"

"You're an idiot!"

"So? It was fun!"

"Fun until he comes to take it back...You're gonna' be dead man."

"Yeah. Right now." Allen came out of the corner, and Bakura backed up.

"Hey there." He laughed waving the scarf in the air.

"Give it back." Allen demanded, but Bakura waved it around, and tied it around his neck.

"Come and get it."

Allen jumped on Bakura, quicker then Bakura expected, and they started another brawl.

Bakura threw him off his shoulders, and hit Allen with an elbow to a stomach. Allen threw punches to the back of his head, and Marik stared in wonder as the began to tumble down the hall.

Allen went for his knife, but left it, he couldn't pull it on Bakura, as much as he wanted to. So instead, he served Bakura a roundhouse kick to the head, knocking Bakura down the hallway.

Bakura scrambled to his feet, and finally reached for his own knife, pulling it out and holding it out against him.

Allen sighed, walking to Bakura and going into a shadow.

"No!" Bakura yelled, turning on the light, making all the shadows disappear. He gave a sighed of relief as the hallway was safe, and walked back to his room.

"Looking for me?" Allen's voice called from a dark room Bakura passed and pulled him into the room, and Snatched the scarf off his neck, kicking Bakura back into the hallway, throwing him into Akefia's office wall.

"You're going to fix that." Akefia said, not looking up from his paperwork. Bakura got back up, dusted himself off, and laughed.

"That was fun."

"Glad you had a little fun before I kill you." Akefia set down his pen, and looked over the rims of his glasses at Bakura.

"I'll get right on that boss." Bakura rolled his eyes, and went back through the hole he came in through.

Marik walked into the lab with Ryou, to find Melvin asleep in a chair, but as they opened the door, his eyes snapped open, and he was standing in front of them.

"Get out." He ordered, and Marik held his hands up, backing away.

"Alright, I just wanted to see how she was..."

"Melvin...I...Relax...Marik doesn't mean any harm..."

"Who knows what will happen if the Phoenix wakes up and blames them?" Melvin scuffed, not backing down.

"Oh, so that's why you're in here."

"I was told to watch over her."

"And you failed?" Marik scuffed, earning Melvin's glare.

"I didn't fail because of her stupidity."

Melvin had a point.

"How did she get poisoned anyways?" Marik asked, moving around Melvin.

"She was an idiot and drank something Ryou made."

"Oh...Shit...Isn't she going to die? He makes some pretty hard core shit." Marik remarked, and Melvin bit his tongue.

"Yes, we found an antidote just in time."

"Oh, good." Marik nodded, and left.

Ryou nodded to Melvin after the door was shut.

"You're starting too look a little too protective. Careful."

"I know."

"And don't worry...I won't tell anyone..."Ryou promised, and looked directly into Melvin's eyes.

"I know."

"Melvin...Please...I don't want you to stress out over my mistake-"

"It's both your mistake. She shouldn't have drank it, you should have left it in your room lab."

"Yes, I should have. I blame myself for it all."

"Don't. She's the idiot who drank it..."

Tamara sat up, looking around frantically.

"Tamara!" Ryou and Melvin both exclaimed.

She only looked at them, opening her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

"What's wrong?" Melvin asked, putting a hand on the side of her face.

"She's lost her voice...I didn't check her vocal cords yet..."Ryou got to work right away and Melvin stood by Tamara's side, looking to Ryou.

"Anything I can do to help?" He asked, and Ryou shook his head.

"No, the best right now? Keep her from panicking." Ryou went back to his huffing and mumbling, and Melvin turned to Tamara, who tried to speak again, but then winced in pain, grabbing her throat.

"Shh...Don't talk...Alright..."He stroked her hair and kissed her throat gently. Tamara put a hand on his arm and tapped it with force. She shook her head, and pointed to her throat again, this time at the mark.

One of the only marks left from the water. It looked like fire just beneath her skin, and Melvin raised an eyebrow.

"What...? Is it burning you?" He asked, and Tamara's face turned rigid, and confused. She moved her hands like in a way a scale would go up and down.

"Kind of? A little?" Melvin asked. He groaned, and rested his head on her stomach and mumbled again.

"This is already so confusing...I wish I could just read your mind or something..."He sighed, and Tamara went into a coughing fit, this time looking at her hands.

In her hand, there were scorch marks. Fire coming out of her lungs? Melvin took her hands in his and sighed.

"Ryou..."His voice was warning and worried, and Ryou glanced over.

"What's that?"

"She just coughed up fire..." Melvin turned to look at Ryou over his shoulder and Ryou stood up, peeking at Tamara's hands.

"Uh-oh. Must be the Phoenix trying to get rid of the toxins and poison quicker then the antidote's getting rid of it...Melvin, could you run to the store and finish the rest of the list? I'm sorry, but she must be starving...Maybe get some of her favorite foods? I just want her to go back to eating normally, the five food groups and plenty of water..."

"You care about her health...?"Melvin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well...Yeah...She is my friend..."Ryou looked down a bit embarrassed, and Melvin nodded considerably. Ryou didn't like Tamara, he only cared for his friend.

"In a way...He is your doctor, Mara. What do you want?" Melvin asked, handing he a pad of paper and a pen. Tamara's eyes lit up, and she quickly scribbled down a list of more then twenty things.

"This is all junk food..."Melvin examined, and Ryou sighed.

"Please...If you eat healthier...You'll get better faster." Ryou pleaded, and Tamara frowned. She tapped the list again, and they both looked at it.

"What?" Bakura asked, looking to Marik.

"Yeah, she drank one of those dangerous poisons that Ryou made. I don't know much else."

"She's really an idiot sometimes.  
>"Yeah..."Marik looked down, and Bakura turned his cigarette in a 180 angle, and threw it to the ground.<p>

"I hate smoking." Bakura spat, stomping on the cigarette.

"Really? You've never had a problem before."

"Yeah, well..Thinking about her stupidity brings back up high school...And just thinking of toxins...Yuck." Bakura shrugged, and thought back to the old days when he was just a voice in Ryou's mind.

"What was it like for you in Melvin's mind?"

"I wasn't really in his mind. Just...Kind of assigned to make sure he didn't die until he needed to...And when he fell to darkness, so did I."

"And then you just gave up?"

"No, I still watch out for him...But he's better then I ever could be...He leads and watches out for me now..."

"And you have no problem with that?"

"Not really." Marik shrugged, and Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"I'm happy as hell to be my own person. Living in Ryou's mind was horrible. I'm glad I'm not in it anymore."

"What, did he think naughty things?" Marik laughed, and Bakura sighed.

"No. That's the problem. He's _good_. Never thinks the wrong thing. And when he swallowed his bad emotions and what not, I was created. And I got tired of not having my own body...So finally, I convinced him to take a path down a dark alley...And with the whole town hating him for blowing up and maybe perhaps killing someone, it took him down here. With my dark thoughts and his wonderful smart brain, he was able to work with Akefia to separate us..."

"Clever. I just had to give half my blood."

"But you were okay with it."

"Yeah, I am. He's never led me astray...And it wasn't his fault he had to come here. Akefia dragged him down...He used to be the best person in the world. But now I have a new found respect for him, you know? Like now...He's this...This leader I'd follow anywhere."

"Then why are you okay with him not confronting Akefia about Kyrah?" Bakura asked, playing with one of his knives. Earlier he had finished Akefia's office wall, but now, they were both chatting in his room.

"Because. I talked to him about it. And he's right. There's nothing we can do. And if anyone knows Akefia the best, it's Melvin. He can't change this."

Bakura didn't spare a glance at Marik. He knew Marik was loyal to Melvin, and there was no sense in yelling at either of them.

"Yeah, but if she comes back this time. She's mine."

"Give it up. Akefia's bringing her back for his own petty reasons."

Bakura stayed silent, staring into his own reflection on the silver blade, and kept that way until Marik left.

_**Author's note: So. Long ass chapter. Still not done c:**_

_**Don't ya just love me?**_

_**If you read this, you know what happened in the chapter. XD It's simple. Just read and review.**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters © their creators**_

_**Everything else, Tamara, Dark Side of the Moon world, and Allen © ME.**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Melvin sighed, slightly content, but was still annoyed. Tamara couldn't speak, and finding out what she wanted was difficult. He was chosen to take after her, and although he did love spending the extra time with Tamara, it was in front of the rest of the group. He had to be subtle with everything he said and did, as well as try to placate Tamara.

But as of now, he played with her hair, twirling it in his long tan fingers, letting the softness and silkiness of it caress his skin as he sighed again.

"Oh Mara..." He gently kissed her temple, and she turned to him.

"You're already awake..." He smiled, and ran his hands down from her shoulders to her elbows, warming her a bit. She nodded, turning to face him, and blinked.

She began to open her mouth, but Melvin shook his head.

"You're not going to try to talk today, alright? Ryou's not sure how long it's going to take to make an antidote...Or if this is permanent.." He sighed, looking to the skylight.

"Ak!" Tamara clutched her throat, Melvin's attention snapping back to her.

"You didn't." He sighed, slapping his palm to his forehead.

She shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

"Tamara. Don't try to speak. You'll only hurt yourself." He warned her, and started to sit up.

She placed a hand on his bicep and he looked at her with a sideways glance.

"I already know what you want. No, I can't stay. With you down and sick, well, I kind of have to kick up the group leader business. Everyone's counting on me...Especially because of Kyrah coming back..."He sighed, and she scrunched her face up in an annoyed way, huffing.

"I know it annoys you...But I have to divide myself in so many different ways with everything that's going to happen." He sighed in return, and she flopped back down, crossing her arms.

"Hey, don't be mad..." He sighed, poking her cheek.

She didn't look at him.

"Tamara...Look...I have to go...I'll take care of you later." He tapped her nose lightly with a tanned finger, and walked to the door.

His hand only fell on the knob before she scrambled out of the bed and wrapped herself around his leg, squeezing his calf an knee tightly.

"Tamara." He looked down, almost glaring. He couldn't help but lessen the glare to a scornful look as she blinked her big red eyes at him.

She looked innocent in a slightly scary way that melted Melvin's walls. She tightened her grip, her nails digging into his leg and gasped.

"Tamara? !" He asked as she let go, getting to her feet and staggering a bit.

He caught her and searched for the source of pain.

"Where...? What is it?" He asked, and she only pointed to her throat, which now showed the Phoenix mark burning bright.

"It's just the Phoenix...There's nothing I can do." He frowned, and walked her to the middle of her room. She gave him a frantic look and he kissed her forehead, her hands coming to both sides of his face.

He slowly put his gaze to hers, and his hand caressed her face.

"You know I would much rather stay with you...But I can't..." He was cut off with a fierce kiss from Tamara.

"Mara. Alright, you know I would...Just..." He smiled, another kiss melting into his lips.

He sighed, kissing back a little bit.

"I know you don't want me to go...But...I...Have to." He mumbled, his hands finding their way to her hips, his bones hollow with an emotion he couldn't explain as it flowed into his veins.

His hands griped her hips tighter, and she licked his lips, giving him the option to bite her tongue a little and inviting him into her mouth. He moved his lips down to her neck to avoid anything too serious, his mind still working for basic morals.

Her hands slid up around his neck, standing on her tip toes to connect their mouths again, this time not being so direct, and Melvin smiled, accidentally giving her the option to lick his sharp canines. Without actually realizing it, Melvin allowed this, exploring her mouth as well.

_'This isn't so harmful...'_ Melvin thought, as a low growl formed in the back of his throat. The demon side of him reminding him he hadn't fed yet, and had postponed the time to feed a little too far. He ignored it for now, he wouldn't leave just yet.

Until Tamara's hands came to his stomach, trying to get his shirt off.

His own thoughts had distracted him from what was going on physically.

He immediately assessed the situation and stopped, holding her wrists in one of his hands as the other rested on the wall near Tamara was up against, his palm next to her head, firm against the wall.

"I just can't win with you, can I?" He huffed, looking her in the eyes. She batted her eyelashes innocently, and he shook his head.

"And just when I was beginning to think maybe I could push the line farther without you overreacting...You're not innocent here..." He sighed, but continued.

"Tamara, you know that can't happen, and you know why. Nothing even close to it. And that? Was pretty dammed close." He said in a warning tone, shooting her a light glare. She huffed, and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that." He scuffed, looking at her sideways. He let her go and walked to the middle of the room, not leaving just yet. She picked up a piece of paper, wrote something down, and shoved it toward him.

He read it with an indifferent and annoyed face.

"I started it, but I didn't try to take off your shirt..." He looked up to her, and she rolled her eyes, moving back to her bed.

Melvin watched her as she flopped down, her gaze locked on the wall across from her. Maybe this was something other then her not wanting him to leave. He sighed, looking to the wall clock. He'd waste a little bit more of time.

"What's really wrong?" He asked, sitting by her feet.

She didn't look at him, but he still extended the paper and pen.

Isis sat in Akefia's office once again, and sighed.

"So...What you're trying to convince me of...Is to wait until Tamara's better to get Kyrah back here?"

"Yes, Akefia. It would be best. You can't just take away the person assigned to keep an eye on her away for some kamikaze mission...Something bad might happen. And if the Phoenix found out...Well, we'd be lucky to be living at all when you came back." Isis looked at her hands, her heart beating fast. She was swallowing her pride and trying to buy them all time to prepare.

Akefia clasped his hands together, forming a cage like symbol, and looked down to his right. She had a point. He couldn't leave Melvin here, he needed him on the trip. And with Melvin being Tamara's overseer, he couldn't take him from here and have the Phoenix know.

Decisions, Decisions.

"I'll think about it. Now, shoo." Akefia waved Isis away and went back to his paper work.

"Please...Actually think about it. Don't keep us all scared..."For more then one reason.

"Isn't that part of the game?" Akefia smiled, looking up at Isis. He chuckled, and motioned with a sweeping motion to the door. "Now, if you please?" He said, and Isis left, unsure if she'd won this battle.

While Melvin attended to Akefia and the rest of the group, Ryou took over the Tamara watch.

She chose her usual place to be in the afternoon, and lounged on the couch, watching T.V.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Ryou asked, smiling. Tamara looked to him with a tired expression, and sat up sighing.

"Is that a no...?"Ryou asked, and blinked innocently. Tamara rolled her eyes and brushed past him into the kitchen. He padded behind her, frowning.

"I'm here to help you..."Ryou murmured and looked to Tamara with sad eyes.

She raised an eyebrow, and scribbled on a piece of paper, passing it to him.

"_I'm not helpless, I can get my own food and drinks._" Ryou read, and nodded.

"Yes, but I do feel partially responsible for you drinking that poison...If I would have just left it in my room..."He slumped down in a kitchen chair, and put his head in his hands.

Tamara half frowned, and walked to him, taking the paper and writing something again. She slid it over with a dainty hand, and Ryou looked down at it with strained eyes.

"_Can you make Taco's?_" He read, a smiling reaching his face.

"Mild or super spicy?" He asked, standing up.

"So...Everyone. There's another reason I called you all here to this meeting besides getting to see my pretty face again," Akefia joked, looking around the meeting room. Everyone stared back with vacant and bored expressions, Isis hiding her own anxiety.

"Well then...Touch crowd." Akefia scuffed, continuing. "I've decided to postpone the mission to bring back Kyrah." He placed both hands palm down on the table in front of him, fingers spread, as he spoke. He didn't need to look at everyone to know the surprise.

"Why?"Marik finally mustered up the courage to ask the question they all were thinking.

"Someone persuaded me. And everyone knows I'm a sucker for a valid point." He smiled, looking at Isis for a brief moment. She nodded, knowing he acknowledged her.

"And what 'valid point' would that be?" Allen spoke up, leaning forward.

"Well, a key member has to go on the trip, and he is currently assigned to watch over the young little bird we have here under our wing." Akefia smiled broadly, and everyone shared looks. Melvin, Tamara and Ryou weren't here. They'd taken Tamara out for a walk.

"Then why shouldn't they know?" Bakura asked, confused.

"Because, we all know how our little bird acts if she knew we were doing this because of her. She'd be unreasonable. Besides, we can't afford to have the Phoenix on a rampage. And we don't want poor Melvin left torn between what he was assigned by a cranky old bird and his duty to the group." something in his voice told Isis he thought about actually seeing that.

But she'd put more money on he couldn't find them for the meeting. He wouldn't care if anyone felt bad. Akefia wanted something, wanted Kyrah, and nothing would truly stop him from getting that.

Except the loss of the pawns he used to get those things.

Allen sighed, walking out into the shadows. He closed his eyes, welcoming the homeliness of the darkness.

Nothing he missed more then a nice, good paying contract.

Oh, and his home.

But he didn't really have one.

Isis joined him as he thought about it, her eyes searching in the stars.

"What ails you?" She asked, and Allen shrugged.

"Bad memories."

"Seems we have the same thoughts..."

"Really? The love of your life tried to kill you?" He asked, sarcastically.

"No, but Kyrah did. I haven't loved anyone..."Isis trailed off, and Allen stood up abruptly.

"Yeah, well, I'm going into the forest."

"Don't get hurt..."

"The shadows never hurt me before. Don't see why they would now..."Allen stepped into the complete darkness, his scarf going over the bottom half of his face as he turned away.

"You'll be surprised when what you considered a friend betrays you..."Isis said, starting her walk home.

Melvin held back from Ryou and Tamara. Although Ryou knew about them, he couldn't be too close to Tamara, but he knew she yearned to be close to him. Lust came to mind for the reason why, but he soon shook that away. Something told him it was different, she wasn't always so forward and lustful.

"And this...This is what you call a red ludwigia plant, and that's a hornwort, ..."Ryou said, showing some green grass that came from a pond to Tamara. She studied it for a second, and raised an eyebrow at Ryou.

"Yes, they are important. Some of these can really help in making specific poisons, or medicines. One of my personal favorites to help with antidotes is Jewel weed. It almost completely reverses the effects of poison ivy, and can be helpful with other things too." Ryou smiled, pointing it out. Tamara nodded, and stepped away form the pond, looking back to Melvin.

"I think it's time to go..." Ryou said, and turned back as well. Melvin nodded, and stepped out of the pathway, motioning back to the path.

"Oh, thank you for coming with me on this adventure.." Ryou smiled and Tamara nodded, smiling a small smile back. Melvin nodded as well.

"Now maybe you can find an antidote for her voice." Melvin suggested, and Ryou nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes! It was another main point to this trip. I'm hoping to create a direct cure for it...And now that I have the data to know what I made, and what it partially does, I can also record an antidote for it."

"Something most scientist fail to do. They create a poison, and are so happy with their work, that they go celebrate instead of find an antidote to it."

"Exactly...I'm hoping to be among great scientists like that one day..."Ryou trailed off, looking up into the now darkening sky.

"You already are." Melvin assured, and Ryou looked to him.

"You really think so?" He asked, beaming with praise. Melvin nodded, and continued.

"You've already done so much that many can't do. You should be their role model. I'm proud."

"That means a lot to me..."Ryou said, exhilarated. It did mean a lot, Melvin was like an older brother or father figure to Ryou, considering that he never really was accepted as a kid, and was timid. His own father disapproved, and was embarrassed by his split personality. Ryou was unwanted and unneeded in the human world, but in this one, he belonged. And hearing that Melvin was proud and thought highly of him just made him even more ambitious. He needed to exceed himself to be better, and being the scientific trend setter he was, he didn't find that too hard.

Tamara looked to Melvin, who smiled down at her, and ran a hand down her hair.

"Yeah, I'm proud of you too.." He smiled, and she wrapped her arms around his arm, holding him close to her as they walked. She eyed Ryou cautiously, and Ryou smiled, shaking his head.

"It's okay, you guys can kiss...Melvin told me about you being together...Or something, while you were in a poison coma. So, when it's just the three of us, go ahead and be all love doves...It's alright." He smiled, and Tamara looked up to Melvin, who looked away from them. His face showed a peak into him being torn apart. Ryou stopped, walking the opposite direction, throwing a look over his shoulder at the two.

"If you want some alone time, come on. I won't be such a bother, and you two can have your time." Ryou smiled, and they followed.

Melvin wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning her into him. One leg was bent at the knee, her arm resting on it, and his other leg was stretched along the outside of hers, his head resting on her shoulder. Ryou sat by the lake, picking herbs and writing things down in his notebook, making tabs of anything with water life.

"He's really nice to let us do this...You should thank him..." Melvin whispered to Tamara, who only turned her head in recognition to his words. Melvin kissed her cheek gently, cautious that she might turn it into something she had in mind, but instead, he saw red flash on her cheeks.

"Is that...Is someone embarrassed?" Melvin laughed lightly, enjoying seeing her blush. She threw him a glare, turning her head to face him, and held her closer.

"Just look at your blushing face, so adorable...So innocent..."Melvin mumbled, and Tamara scuffed, trying to stand up, only to be caged by Melvin's arms and legs.

"You're not going anywhere." He laughed, kissing her neck.

His teeth throbbed, sending the ripple effect of the throbbing all through his veins. He quickly let Tamara go, and back up a few feet.

"Ryou. Take her home. NOW." He ordered, scaring Ryou for a minute, but he nodded after only one look at Melvin. He quickly went to Tamara, all the ingredients in his hands, and started pulling her along with him.

She protested, looking back with a face that almost broke Melvin's non-beating heart. He had to feed, and she couldn't be the one he fed off again...

He wouldn't push it so far this time.

Akefia sighed, talking all this over with a sense of yearning. When Kyrah was here, things with him...Seemed brighter. He wanted to hear her again, love her again, and he wanted these things soon. Lonesomeness wasn't something Akefia fell to, wasn't something Akefia dealt with with, and he knew which soul he was meant for.

And her being saved was a load of shit.

Ryou blended up the plants together, and carefully looked at the clear glass he poured it into.

"Well...It won't taste very good, but it's got some of the antidotes to the poison you drank..."

"And what level will this work on?" Melvin asked, standing next to Tamara. She still looked a little offended from the days earlier events, but was happy enough with him to hold his hand.

"It should work on a major level, and maybe, if it does work, I could make it into pill form."

"How long?"

"To make the pill form? About a month or so. Maybe a month and a half."

"No, for this liquid to work on her...If it does." Melvin carefully spared Tamara a glance, who only looked down coyly.

"About thirty minutes. Maybe an hour. There's no telling if the Phoenix will deny it..."

"It accepted the poison."

"But the antidote is a different matter."

"Still, I think it will." Melvin said, turning to Tamara. "Alright, you have to drink it all, got it?" He asked, placing a hand under her hair, caressing the side of her jaw with his tan hand. She nodded, not leaving his gaze.

Ryou handed her the glass, and as she drank it, a fowl look twisting her face. She had coughing fit afterward, but the clock started counting down the minutes to see if it would work.

Melvin held her hands in his, closing his eyes as he felt her warmth and energy. He concentrated on that until he felt someone sit in his lap, making him look at Tamara, who was falling asleep.

"Is it supposed to make her sleepy?" He asked, and Ryou nodded.

"her body must repair itself, and it does so in sleep. Along with growth. It's alright, just hold her." Ryou nodded, and went back to the computer.

"It's going to be okay Mara..."Melvin sighed, kissing her hair.

Melvin carefully set her on the bed, and sat up.

"I'll...Be back." He sighed, and Ryou looked up at him, unsure.

"O...Okay...?" He mumbled, turning back to the computer.

"If she wakes up...Tell her Isis called me."

"But she didn't..."Ryou pointed out, and Melvin raised an eyebrow.

"Not in a way you know of. I just know she needs me right now. Alright?" Melvin sighed, closing the door quietly behind him. Ryou sighed, and walked over to Tamara.

"It get's easier, right? …...Being with someone so secretive?" Ryou sighed, and walked back to the computers, monitoring her vitals.

Allen walked in the shadows, seeing Isis on the path below, and sighed.

Isis stopped, turning to see Melvin fly down from the sky with big, gray, gargoyle like wings.

Allen watched as Isis hugged him, and talk to him, throwing her hands in the air in anger.

Melvin only shook his head, and left.

_**Authors note: Yeah...Took me a while, but I'm busy, and have been busy. You can't blame me. I've had two holidays squished together, and now there's about two more. **_

_**Fun, c: **_

_**Anyways, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.**_

_**Alternate universe, Tamara, and Allen © Me**_

_**Yu-Gi-Oh references/ (Yeah, they came from yu-gi-oh, I just changed them in an A.U) © their creators **_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Past Games Will Never Be Played**

Ryou was busy with the computer when Melvin came back.

"Did she wake up at all?" He asked, looking to Tamara's body on the bed. Ryou shrugged, and shook his head.

"Not that I know of..."

"Well, how much longer do we have?"

"About ten more minutes...It's repairing her body right now, so when she wakes up, we'll see if she can talk."

Melvin nodded, and stood next to Ryou.

"Don't you want to go sit by her?" Ryou asked and Melvin sighed.

"I will...Just..."

"Thinking?"

"Yes."

Ryou fell silent, the question he was dying to ask on the tip of his tongue, but his fear of angering Melvin the wall that held it back.

He went with other questions first, building up to ask him.

"So...What brought you to...Uh..."

"Love her?" Melvin filled in the rest, and Ryou nodded.

"Yeah, not to pry or anything..."

Melvin fell silent, looking to Tamara.

"I'm not comfortable with answering that right now...You wouldn't understand."

"Well, how do you know? I could understand...There is more to just a logical theory under this skin and brain. I have a heart too, you know." Ryou challenged, prepared for Melvin to snap at him, but instead Melvin chuckled.

"Maybe I was too quick to judge. I thought you had resorted to logic only after..._Her_."

"Well, hope doesn't die in a person. Though some hide it well..."

"Like Tamara?"

"Exactly like Tamara. She has hope...For something. Not sure what, but everyone has hope. She may believe she's 'hopeless'...But you see something in her that she doesn't."

"Oh trust me, we mostly see the same things, but she has her moments, when she's not guarded, not tough...She has depth, she's not shallow...There's so much more too her...She see's it, but doesn't let anyone else see it."

"What do you mean? She's always so brash, and well, at times, forgive me, but she's..."

"Incompetent? Yes. She follows her rash emotions, takes things to different levels then they were meant to be, but there's more to that...She's not made of steel..."

"Well, no one is."

"I meant in a metaphorical way...She seems to always be having the best time, or lashes out with anger. I can't directly explain why I love her, I just know I do. Everything about her, draws me both too and away form her..."Melvin stopped but continued. "I miss her voice. I mean, yes, I love being with her, and I love who she is, but I also love her voice. It...Tells her story, without actually telling a thing..."

"Wait, Away from her?"

"Not in a bad way. In a way where it kind of scares me to be with her...Loving her, and having something to lose...Makes me remember..."

"Similar situations...Akefia's possessive with what he wants."

"He kissed her."

Ryou stopped, and looked to Melvin quickly.

"Melvin-"

"I'm fine."

Ryou thought to when Kyrah was here, and she was flaunting her relationship with Akefia in everyone's face.

Ryou didn't like to swear much, but Kyrah was a whore. She led everyone on, turning them against each other, while she was Akefia's all along. She had used Melvin to get to Akefia, and once she did, she put him through hell. Melvin used to be jovial, would laugh with anyone at a light joke, was a generally happy person, and open. Or so Ryou heard. He didn't know Melvin before the group. Ryou was the newbie before Tamara came to the group.

"Are you sure?"

"She told me herself...And that she didn't love him."

"But that's what-"

"I know, but the way she acts around him proves her answer. He may be infatuated with her, but now that he's looking toward Kyrah again, I can only hope his attention stays there."

"If he even tired-"

"Let's not speak of that out loud."

"Right, but what drew you to her?"

"I told you...I'm not exactly sure what it was. Her, I guess. At first, it seemed she was just a brash child. Testing everyone's nerves, picking fights. Brash. Ignorant...And then I saw past that, I saw what she hid."

"And what exactly does she hide?"

"You'll have to find out yourself."

Ryou nodded, that was only fair, but then the question was still lingering.

"Has...Uh...Anything gotten...Physical between you two?" Ryou quickly asked, and Melvin tensed up, freezing.

"That's a little personal, don't you think?"Melvin spat, and Ryou panicked.

"I mean, I don't want to invade your space, and I know it's personal but I-"

"No." Melvin answered, annoyed.

"No what?" Ryou asked, confused.

"They haven't. I won't let it get that way...Not now, at least."

"Why?"

"Look at her. she's seventeen. I'm twenty three. In the human world, that is. She's too young."

"There's a little more to it than that Melvin, knowing you, her Phoenix is near five hundred-"

"And the demon and gargoyle are near _five thousand_." Melvin spat, but sighed, continuing. "You of all people should understand."

"Why's that?"

"We share morals." Ryou stopped as Melvin's words reached him.

"Wait...So..That means..."

"Yes. I'm old fashioned. I want to marry her before things get...That way."

"But you aren't a-"

"Is she?"

"I...I don't know." Ryou said in wonder, and Melvin chuckled.

"She seems to not be, but even seeing somethings she hides, there's much she's buried down deep."

"Is that why you're around her all the time?"

"No. I could care less about her past. I just don't want her to feel like she has to hide things from me. Being in love with her...Has it's pro's and con's. It also has it's mysteries. But I love her. No doubting that." Melvin smiled, and Ryou smiled back. It was genuine smile, not showing the Melvin Ryou usually knew. This was warm, and...Happy.

Then something made Ryou think.

"Why are you telling me all of this? I mean...I'm weak, anyone could push it out of me..."

"No, you're loyal. You wouldn't sell me or her out to anyone. And if you did, I'd understand. Akefia's ruthless and insane. I should know. I grew up with him."

Tamara started breathing a little unevenly, and Melvin was there in three seconds, in time for her to open her eyes.

"Mara?" He asked, looking into her red eyes, her hair normal red, with it's black undertones, and it's purple and gold highlights.

She sat up, more awake now, and quickly wrapped herself around Melvin.

"Can't speak?" He asked, but she didn't say anything.

Ryou sighed.

"I'll get to work on another antidote."

"I'll take her to her room." Melvin said, grabbing Tamara in his arms, but she protested, giving him a look and trying to wiggle out of his grip.

He gave a small smile, and put her down.

"Where would you rather go?" He asked, and she looked to the window, eying Melvin cautiously.

Melvin nodded, and she smiled brightly.

"I'm taking her for a walk, I'll see you in the morning." He said, waving to Ryou.

Ryou nodded, and went back to work on his computer.

They'd been sitting there a while, in silence, enjoying the others company, and occasionally star gazing.

Melvin sighed as he sat with Tamara by the secret pool of water. He had told Ryou much today, and hoped she hadn't been awake to hear it. Something about Tamara, something he couldn't explain, called to him more then anything else about her did.

"Tamara...I know you get angry when I ask, but if I tell you my real past, will you tell me yours? And not leave it to such question? It makes me think you're hiding something, and I don't want you to feel like you have to hide anything from me..." Melvin found himself speaking his thoughts, and was surprised at himself, but they were already spoken, he just had to deal with the consequences.

Tamara didn't move, and her gaze didn't shift from the water.

"I take that as a no then...I've got to go, you know how to get home." Melvin said and stood up, starting to walk away.

"Melvin." Tamara's voice called out, making Melvin turn in surprise, and stop.

"Your voice is back!" Melvin exclaimed, a smile on his face. He had missed it, and stepped closer to her.

"My past...Doesn't do any good. It will ruin the image you have of me..." Tamara mumbled, and Melvin kept quiet.

"Nothing could change how I see you...The image I have of you isn't based on your past...It's based on who you are now, and why I love you." Melvin reassured, and wrapped his arms around her waist, sitting behind her.

She moved out of his arms, and tuned to face him.

"Where would you like me to start?" She asked, looking down.

"I don't want you to stain your voice...You should rest." Melvin put a hand on her cheek, but she sighed.

"I was never accepted by anyone as a child. Maybe it was because I was different. I just didn't like people, and...I'm not exactly sure what was wrong with me, they just told me that I wasn't 'normal'...My parent's, I don't even think they wanted any children in the first place, I was an only child, and most likely a mistake in their lives. I grew up alone, spending most of my time in my room, painting, day dreaming...If I ever saw my parents, they would give me disapproving looks and tell me how much a mistake I was...So I grew to hate them too...They used to make me celebrate their Jewish religion with them, and for a while, I found it an escape...Until they abandoned me, and left me to a relative...So I gave up on Judaism, and everything else...School wasn't very good either, I was an outcast, and was picked on until I didn't take it...

"I grew violent, beat the children who teased me, and even when a teacher joined in, I cut her with scissors...I got kicked out of three private schools, until I just gave up. Everyone was already scared of me, but..." Tamara looked off.

"Tamara?" Melvin asked, and she sighed.

"This next part makes me angry...And...Scared."

"You don't have to-"

"Yes, I do Melvin. You deserve to know, and no, I'm not afraid to tell you anything...it's just not a happy time..."She looked away from Melvin, and Melvin put a hand on her knee, reassuring her.

Tamara breathed, thinking again of that time, and growing angry.

"It was the beginning of my Freshman year when I first met him. Chase Hunter. Straight Black hair, brown to black eyes, mischievous, mysterious, sly. The 'bad boy'...He was someone who got what he wanted, when he wanted it. He took what he wanted. Got away with things, could do anything...And unbelievably, attracted me. I was fourteen, a grade younger everyone else, and he was fifteen, and for once, he noticed me...Someone, noticed me. He would look at me in school, glances no one else saw, and the first time he talked to me was after school. I was sitting behind the school, killing time to make my legal guardian angry...He just happened to be walking back there to get his back ,and when he passed, he smiled, coming back with his bike, and just sat there, on his bike, looking at me..."

Tamara flashed to the past, no longer in the moment.

"Hey." He said, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, his forearms resting on the handles of his bike.

"What do YOU want?" Tamara asked, annoyed with the interaction with someone. Although, she didn't mind him too much, she just had to keep up the facade that she didn't.

"I want to talk." He declared as if it were obvious.

"I've nothing to say to something like you." She spat, and he laughed, resting his head on his arms.

"I've got a lot to say to you...You've got this way, and you make people think you don't care. But you do. I used to be like you, violent, brash didn't give a damn...Kicked out of schools, blah, blah, blah." He sighed, sounding like it bore him.

"You don't know a thing ass-munch. Now go bug someone else." She gave him a 'death glare', and he smirked.

"I'm chill with bugging you, besides, you need to chill too. Here, take one of these, they'll cool ya' down." He passed her the cigarette box, and she looked at it scowling.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" She spat, throwing it back. He sighed, throwing his bike to the ground and sitting next to her.

"Hey, I'm going to sit here, and you can pretend I'm sitting next to you if you want." He smiled, and Tamara scuffed, scooting away form him.

Her heart beat faster as he continuously watched her do her work. When he started smoking his cigarette, he would blow the smoke in her direction, sigh too loudly, bump her leg with his, and blast his i-pod loudly.

Finally, Tamara had it.

"WHAT? What do you want? HUH? The satisfaction of seeing me explode? Well congratulations, you got under my skin with your annoying, stupid, dumb as ways! You're number one!" She said, flipping him off and taking his bike home.

Chase met her behind the school again, and smiled with a glossy look as she stopped in her tracks.

"Hey, come sit with me." He said, patting the concrete next to him.

"I'll sit there, and you can pretend I'm sitting with you." Tamara said, not giving up her secret spot for him.

"Am I ever going to get my bike back?" He asked, a big smile on his face.

"No."

"I was nice enough to let you borrow it, the least you could do is give it back."

"No. Now shut up."

"I'm not going to shut up. Yesterday, I felt proud. In your eye's I'm number one." He laughed, throwing a middle finger to the sky and winking at Tamara.

"Yeah, number one asshole. Go ahead and be the proudest idiot out there." She spat, and he threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Aw, don't be that way Tammy. Come on...Invite me to your house." He laughed, and Tamara glared, moving out of his arm.

"And why would I do that? You're just a high idiot."

"Because, you have my bike, and I like your short fuse. You act on your emotions, you're brash, but passionate...I see it in your eyes...I used to be like you, until I learned to chill. So stick with me, and just...Chill. Here, give me your arm..."He demanded, and she reluctantly extended her arm, wanting to trust him, and stupidly, did.

He stuck a needle in her vein.

"HEY!" She yelled, trying to pull her arm away, but he held on tight.

"Chill, Tammy. Just some heroine. You'll be fine. It's gonna cool ya' down." He reassured, and pretty soon, a cold numb feeling crept from her around, and encased her body. She was chilled out, she was calm, and she felt she had all the energy in the world, but knew how to handle and balance it enough to stay calm.

"Whoa."

"Exactly. I got you Tammy, it's alright." He said, leaning her into him. She didn't care. She was happy, leaning into him, chilled out, calm...Everything seemed good for once, seemed...To be fine.

She was content.

But things turned sour.

As she got closer to Chase, he started demanding more, and as they became 'exclusive' with each other in secret, Chase grew...Mean, but Tamara figured it was just him being crabby form his parents, and his brother had slimmed down the heroine he gave him.

So Chase leaned on Tamara, snapping at her, and being too forward. He was too...Direct. He knew what he wanted, Tamara just wouldn't give it up. She loved Chase, or so she thought, and then one day, when she convinced herself Chase wouldn't do anything bad to her, he did.

He raped her, forcing her down, and then after that, left.

"You know, we aren't going to do this again. I don't want to see your ugly face again..." Chase spat, running off to find more Heroine.

"And that's when I made the vow I would kill him." Tamara said, and Melvin was stunned. He hadn't imagined something like that, was what Tamara was hiding. He felt bad for even asking.

"Tamara-"He said, trying to sound compassionate instead of surprised.

"Sure, after he got what he wanted, he left me to go to another popular girl who was known for giving things like that up willingly. I kept what heroine I had left, just to try to feel alive, but I never did. I don't and didn't want pity. I wanted people's blood on my hands, and I will get it. So, I ran away. To where? I had no idea, but I was running...Before I left, I killed the popular girl, because she had spread rumors about me, taunted me with flaunting Chase in front of me...After that, I was almost out of town, almost there, but he stopped me..."

"Don't do this Tammy..." He coaxed, and Tamara glared at him.

"GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY!" She screamed, and he laughed.

"Calm down. Look, I left you because you were needy...You didn't have to go all weird."

"You raped me you sick bastard!" Tamara screamed, as they circled each other, Tamara looking for a chance to run, Chase trying to block any option she had. Hold her off, just a little longer.

"You wanted it! I saw it in your eyes!" He screamed, and Tamara had it, she blew up, attacking the boy with more force then he knew she had.

Tamara didn't remember exactly how he ended up on the ground, bleeding out, but she hoped she had killed him as she ran into away from the town coming towards her, screaming...

"So that's how you ended up here...You killed someone..." Melvin realized. She wasn't sent here, she came here because she was unwanted in her town, and had killed someone.

"I had hoped I killed two people..."

"Mara..." Melvin ignored her glare, and wound his arms around her, kissing her hair.

"Just...Let me go."

"No. Mara, you need to know that this hasn't changed a thing about you. I still love you...More then anything." Melvin said, squeezing her closer, and Tamara let out a sob.

"It's okay...Shh...Everything's fine..."Melvin comforted her, kissing her hair and holding her close.

Allen watched as Tamara broke down. Melvin right there for her, comforting her.

Allen would have never guessed. He felt bad for Tamara, but his past, somewhat similar, called to him.

"Not today...She can't know I know..."Allen sighed, returning to the shadows. He couldn't' say anything about what he saw, nor would he want to. If Melvin truly loved Tamara, this was the moment he proved that, and he had. Tamara already had someone there, Allen wasn't needed to make matters worse.

_**Authors Note:**_

_**Well, Tamara's full past is out, her voice is back, and Allen knows about her and Melvin.**_

_**Sums it up nicely.**_

_**Oh, and Melvin reveals a bit more to his relationship with Tamara to Ryou.**_

_**Read and review. **_

_**Yu-Gi-Oh references (Which I used to make this Alternate Universe) © their creators**_

_**Alternate Universe, Tamara, Allen, and the Dark Side of the Moon © ME**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Playing the Witch( Give or Take the Letter 'B') **

Akefia smiled brightly.

"NOW! Melvin, do you have everything?"He asked, beaming with excitement as he looked to Melvin.

Melvin checked his bag, and resisted a sigh. They were leaving to go get Kyrah today, and it was something he was not looking forward to. Especially because the night before, he had to stay in his own room, which Tamara wasn't happy about.

"Not quite. I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting out here!" Akefia called, making calls to certain people about jobs he was postponing.

Melvin crept past Tamara's room, praying she was still asleep, and went into his room, giving a sigh of relief as he made it into his room without anyone bothering him.

He quickly scanned the room and through drawers, looking for something.

"Looking for this?" Tamara asked, standing in the doorway to his closet, holding the small bag, one of the drawstrings hooked around her index finger.

Melvin sighed, and walked over to her.

"Yes. Why do you have it?" He asked, and she looked up to him with angry eyes. He took a different approach.

"I know you're upset that I have to leave right after you got your voice back-"

"It's not about my voice, dammit! It's about you trying to leave without telling me goodbye, you ass!" She snapped, and Melvin rolled his eyes.

"I knew you'd act brash towards it, so I avoided it for the better health for everyone."

"You mean avoiding me?" She scuffed, and glared.

"No, Tamara, for everyone's better health! Fighting about it isn't healthy, and you're wasting my time now, Akefia's waiting."

"I don't give a fuck about Akefia!"

"Please, may I have the bag?" He asked, holding out a hand for it.

Tamara dashed around him, running to the other side of the room.

"NO." She hissed, and Melvin lowered his eyebrows in an annoyed way.

"I don't have time to play games, Tamara. Please, just give me the bag." He extended his hand again, but she tried to run again, this time being caught by Melvin.

He had tackled her and pinned her to the floor, his teeth barred.

"I don't have time for games Tamara, now give me the bag." He repeated and Tamara huffed.

"No. It's the least you owe me...For trying to leave-"

"Fine. Keep it, but just don't lose it." Melvin said, and let her go, walking to the door.

"That's it?" Tamara asked, baffled.

"I don't have the time to play your games. I have to leave in a few minutes, so you can spend that few minutes fighting me for attention, or just telling me goodbye." Melvin said, and turned to look at her.

Tamara's jaw was dropped, and she looked surprised.

But it turned sour, and she glared at Melvin.

"Fuck you!" She spat, giving him the finger and running to her room, slamming the door.

Ryou walked into Melvin's room with a sympathetic look.

"I'll take care of her when you're gone..."He mumbled, and Melvin nodded.

"Thanks." Melvin nodded, and walked out to meet Akefia.

"About time. Let's go." He hopped into the forest, but Melvin looked back at the lab before following.

When he came back, this place wouldn't be the same.

He sighed, and followed Akefia.

Allen sat in Isis' kitchen, waiting.

"So you know? You've known this whole time?" Allen asked, and Isis nodded, sitting down.

"Before he even knew it was happening. My brother's smart, just not too accepting with how he feels...Something happened some time ago, and even though it wasn't his fault, he doesn't want it to happen again. He's cautious with everything..."

"But with her...?"

"My brother, I'd like to say, loves her more than anything he could describe. He'll protect her until the day he dies, like he protects me..."

"So he loves her like a sister...?"

"No, I mean, he loves me like a sister, because that's what I am, but with her, it's different. With her, he loves her in a way that he doesn't want anything to happen. Her being her age, and from what you've told me, strengthens that. I'll ask him more when he gets back though, if it will please you."

"I personally don't care, I just want to know they're both going to be okay."

"Yes, I assure that they will...The best way I can assure...My brother will let nothing bad happen to her, and I'm sure he's worked some type of safety net into her brain before he left..."

"Safety net?"

"Something to keep her safe and away from trouble. Even though this is Tamara, my brother has his way with keeping people the way he wants without them noticing. Makes me wonder what he's worked on Tamara while he's gone."

Allen fell silent. His 'worries' were for nothing, but that wasn't the reason he was here.

"Isis...I have a question."

"Don't worry, I'm free." She smiled, and he sighed.

"Saw the future?"

"Yup. You wanted to ask me out, Friday we're going out to 'shadow hike'. It's going to be fun." She smiled, and Allen chuckled.

"You read me like a book."

"Correction, I read the future like a book."

"Either way, it's a book you're reading."

Ryou knocked on Tamara's door, and she shot him a glare.

"What?"

"I heard you and Melvin today..."

"You eavesdropped! Dammit Ryou!" She spat, and Ryou sighed.

"Look, I was actually on my way to see Melvin by myself, I didn't mean to...But...You know why he didn't want to say goodbye right?"

"He told me exactly why. I don't need to hear it from you." Acid dripped from her words, but Ryou ignored it.

"He didn't want to have to see you hurt..."

Tamara stopped. What was in the bag? He carried it with him everywhere, never left it anywhere, especially not somewhere she could find it. She only rarely saw him look at the small silk bag, and when he did, he thought she was asleep. But to leave it right there? In the open? Didn't seem like him.

Maybe he knew that she knew about it, and decided to let her keep it? But he came back for it before he left, that couldn't be it...

She sighed, and looked at the bag. Maybe this was him testing her. To open it, would mean invading his privacy and secrets. But what secrets was he hiding? Did he want her to open it? Did he want to keep it away from her? What was inside it?

"Hey, you wanna' go out? Your caretakers gone for a week or two, why not party with us?" Marik asked, coming into Tamara's room. She quickly stuffed the bag into her pocket and looked at Marik.

"Depends where we'll be going."

"We're going to hit this big party Bakura got invited to by one of his buddies in town. Wanna come?"

"Well, Melvin and the Phoenix-"

"Oh come out and have some fun!"

"I really shouldn't...Besides, I'm tired, I'd rather just go to sleep." Which was true enough. Tamara wanted to just sleep...But with the mystery in the bag, she wasn't sure that was possible.

"Killjoy." Marik scuffed, and walked down the hall.

Shortly after Marik left, Bakura came into the room.

"You're too uptight, and you're coming tonight."

"No. I want to sleep, not get the fuck out of my room." Tamara demanded, but Bakura shook his head.

"You're coming with us, you need to have fun after suffering from Melvin. Come on." Bakura dragged her to the party, Marik trailing behind them.

"Dammit Bakura! I didn't want to be here!" She snapped and Bakura smirked.

"You'll thank me later, no go mingle!" He laughed, pushing her into the crowd.

Tamara wandered to a corner, where she was away from anyone's sight, and looked at the bag in her hands.

She decided not to open it, and instead stuffed it into her pocket.

"Hey, you look like you need a drink!" A man called, handing her a red cup of some random substance.

"You look like you're desperate." Tamara spat, and flicked the cup away, knocking on the ground. She left the party without another word to anyone.

Akefia smiled his best smile, happy with the results of their trip.

Not only had he found that Kyrah was still alive, he found where she lived, and all current information on her.

"And she's married, Akefia. You think she's just going to leave her human life here?"Melvin tried again to talk Akefia out of this.

"She's going to remember...She will, Melvin. I just know it." He reassured, and rang the door bell.

And it opened.

"Hello?" A blonde woman asked, her gray blue eyes filled with wonder.

"Are you Kyrah?" Akefia asked, as her eyes wandered from Akefia's face to Melvin's.

"Yes...Can I help you?" She nodded, and Akefia chuckled.

"I think we can help ourselves..."Akefia's ego inflated.

"Excuse me...?" Kyrah asked, a bit offended.

Melvin saw her hand reach behind the door, and stepped in.

"He means it as a joke. We're here to ask you some questions about a college you went to..We think he's gone to the same one, and was trying to reconnect with his peers." Melvin worked quickly, and her hand moved away.

"Oh, sure! Although I don't remember you..."

"Well, it's been a while, and people do change." Melvin said, and she smiled, stepping aside to let them in.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" She asked, and Akefia nodded.

"Some coffee would be nice, cream with it too please." She nodded and walked down the hall into another door.

"Thank you..."Akefia whispered to Melvin who sighed.

"She doesn't remember us Akefia, we can't take her..."

"Yes, we can. Once she's back there, she'll remember."

"And how do you plan on getting her back?" Melvin hissed, and Akefia smirked.

Before Melvin knew it, They were traveling back with Kyrah, Who Akefia had knocked out with a rag drenched in one of Ryou's poisons, and were in front of the lab. It was nighttime, but neither of them were really tired.

"You're sick." Melvin sighed, acknowledging what they had done again, and Akefia laughed.

"It was the only way to get her back here. Hey, we should be happy, no one burnt down the lab while we were gone." Akefia nudged Melvin, who gave him an indifferent look.

Akefia took Kyrah into a resting room, and Melvin went the way to his room.

As soon as Akefia was in another room, Melvin quickly crept to Tamara's room, knocking lightly on the door.

"I told you I don't want anything to do with anyone." She spat, and Melvin came in.

"Leave. Me. Alone." She hissed, turning around to see Melvin.

She gaped for a bit, and he took one long step to her, wrapping his arms around her and picking up the bag she hid in her hands.

"Huh...What's this?" He smiled, playing. Tamara's shock wore off, and she glared as he took the bag.

"Yours." She hissed again, and Melvin opened it, taking out a crystal stone, cut into the shape of a heart.

"Seems you've kept my heart safe with you while I was gone...Thank you." He laughed and kissed her neck.

"What? That's all that was in there? You're kidding me! This whole time!" She gaped, taking the heart in her hands and studying it. Melvin chuckled, letting her go and laying on the bed.

"Yup."

"But...You acted like it was so important that you had it with you at all times!"

"Exactly. Although it is somewhat metaphorical, having it with me means I had no one to leave it with. No one to guard it but myself...I left it out for you on purpose, Mara. You didn't open it? I'm surprised you kept it safe AND didn't even open it...Weren't you curious?" He asked, and she gave him a look that told him she thought he was insane.

"YES! But I though if I opened it, you'd get angry at me!"

"How would I have known?"

"I don't know! Some type of psychic power connection thing, I guess." She looked at the heart in the moon light, but it was just a rock, nothing special.

Melvin chuckled, pulling her into his arms and whispering in her ear.

"The only thing I'd want a psychic connection with is you..." His words drifted through out her body, making her shiver and wrapper herself further into his arms.

"Why would you want that?" Tamara asked, playing with one of his hands, studying a cut on his hand.

"So I would be able to tell you things from a distance, so you wouldn't freak out..."

"Tell me things?" Tamara questioned, and turned to face him.

He gave a smirk, and put his lips to he ear.

"Like how much I love you...How much I missed you...That I left my heart with you..."He chuckled and Tamara sighed, resting her head on his chest.

"I missed you too..."She mumbled, her arms wrapping around him, attaching herself to Melvin.

Melvin smiled, his hands resting on her hips as he kissed down her bare arm.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, and Melvin sighed, lifting his head to shoot her a look.

"Mara..." He warned but she ignored it, holding onto him tighter.

Melvin almost broke away, but decided it was harmless enough.

Melvin awoke to a female screaming, and Tamara gone.

He was where the commotion was in three seconds.

Kyrah was awake, and back to normal.

"Melvin!" She exclaimed and everyone turned to him.

"You're a late sleeper...You always used to be the first one up...Late night?" Kyrah asked in her cocky tone. Melvin didn't say anything, and looked around for Tamara.

"Hey! I was talking to you!" Kyrah shouted, right behind him.

Melvin took a deep breath, and spun around quickly, glaring.

"I'm busy. Go away." He demanded in a deathly quiet tone. Kyrah looked at him for a minute, a confused and scared look on her face.

"What happened to you? You aren't fun anymore." She spat and ran back to the kitchen.

Maybe Kyrah was just like Tamara...?

Melvin sighed, but carried on looking for her.

When he came to the roof, and saw her bright red hair, he half smiled.

"I thought you'd be here..."He mumbled, and She shrugged.

Melvin sat next to her, looking at Tamara from the corner of his eyes.

"I don't like her. She's loud, obnoxious, and a huge bitch." Tamara explained, and Melvin laughed.

"Yup. That's Kyrah."

"I've never seen you so...Alive, Melvin." Tamara said, and Melvin fell silent.

"Well, I've been alive. Just not...Emotionally and not completely mentally alive. Somehow, being with you, wakes up the old me...Makes it feel natural...Even after so long." Melvin laughed once, and looked to Tamara, who glared at him.

"You really shouldn't play like that. It's not funny. No one can do such a thing...No one can be the one who's responsible for so much change in a person.." Tamara sighed, and looked out to the sky.

"You don't believe you changed me?"

"No, not at all. People don't change."

Melvin nodded, agreeing.

"But you didn't exactly change me...You woke me up." He pointed out and Tamara's eyes went wide, but then back to glaring at the sky.

"I'll see you later. I'm going to go for a fly."

"Can't I come?"Melvin laughed.

"Isn't it daytime?" Tamara played back, but went to the edge of the building anyways.

"Yeah. But Akefia's got Kyrah to keep him busy..." Melvin laughed, his wings stretching. Tamara rolled her eyes, calling her dragon.

"You aren't flying on your own?" Melvin asked as Tamara's dragon landed.

"Please, Chili offered." Tamara scuffed, and off they went.

When they passed the pool of water, Melvin gave her a questionable look.

"We're going somewhere else..."Tamara said, and Melvin saw Chili smile.

Melvin rolled his eyes, but followed Tamara and Chili, which led him to a wide open field.

"What's here?" Melvin asked, and Tamara smiled, getting off Chili and looking at Melvin.

"Nothing." She laughed, and Melvin raised an eyebrow.

"Why are we here?"

"Chili likes it here." She looked back at Melvin, and Melvin stared at her.

Chili pranced around, and flopped down in a bunch of wheat, starting to snooze off.

Melvin pulled Tamara into his chest, and looked into her eyes.

"Tamara, I hope you know that this place is full of gremlins. You aren't safe here. We need to leave."

"Melvin, please. Gremlins may be repopulating, and if they want my blood, they can come try. Chili killed his first gremlin before I even named him, and that was a week after I got him. With these Phoenix marks I can control anyone it burns. I'm not running anymore...You don't have to protect me, we can fight together." Tamara rambled, and Chili raised his head at the mention of his name, staring at the couple.

Melvin sighed, and looked away from Tamara.

"I was chosen by the Phoenix to protect you from anyone and anything dangerous-"

"Forget the Phoenix! She's the one who taught me to mark creatures! I can protect myself!" Tamara huffed, and Melvin sighed.

"You don't understand-"

"Your loyalty to the Phoenix is inconceivable... Is that the only real reason you spend time with me?"

"You're jumping the gun, Mara..."Melvin pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

Tamara shivered, but tried to push away. Melvin held her tighter.

"Mara. Please, stop this...You're an idiot if you think the reason I protect you is for the Phoenix. You're blind to the fact that it's because I love you." Melvin whispered, and Tamara's face ran hot.

She'd jumped the gun, and to the wrong reason.

Tamara looked to Melvin, and Melvin smiled back, resting a hand under her jaw.

"I'd be happy to fight with you, but I want to spend time with you without having to watch what's around us...Can we go to the secret spot?" He asked, and Tamara blinked a few times in embarrassment .

"Why-Why are you asking me? You're the older one! And...Kind of...One of my bosses." Tamara looked down and away from Melvin, making him smile.

"My position of power in the team has nothing to do with my relationship with you. We're equals in my eyes, despite our age difference, there's nothing I can do that you can't."

"You can handle Akefia, get him to do what you want."

"If I could do that, Kyrah wouldn't be here, and he would be as far away from you as I could push him." Melvin spat through his teeth, and Tamara looked at him.

"I thought you two grew up together..."

"We did. But this isn't the place to talk about that..." Melvin kept his eyes away from Tamara's, and looked around him.

Chili still looked towards the couple, and Melvin smiled.

"Chili seems to find us interesting..." Melvin said, and Tamara looked to Chili, who looked back and forth from her to Melvin.

"He doesn't understand...I'm only this way with you, and we're away form everyone else...I have to explain to him not to tell anyone..." She whispered, and Chili watched her lips mover dangerously close to Melvin's.

Melvin couldn't help but hide a smile, which was difficult as the dragon watched them with alert eyes, waiting to see what would happen.

Tamara's hair fell in front of their faces, covering them up.

"How much longer until he walks over to find out what we're doing?"

"About three to five seconds..."

"That's enough time..."

"For what?" Tamara asked, and looked up at him, confused.

"This." He said, quickly kissing her and wrapping his arms around her.

Tamara's eyes went wide as his arms wound themselves around her body, pressing her into Melvin, her soul rising just beneath her skin to merge with Melvin's.

Chili squawked, close to them now, and Melvin smiled.

"He's found us..."

"Yeah, but we'll have a little longer soon..."

"And why's that?"

"Because I'm sending him to his stable." Tamara chuckled, turning to the curious Chili.

Chili looked from Tamara to Melvin again, eying Melvin with a look of slight approval. As Tamara spoke to Chili in Dragoon, Melvin waited.

Soon, Chili flew off, and Tamara smiled up at him, then resting her eyes on her lover.

Melvin's yellow eyes greeted her, his teeth slightly pointed in this form, but the smile was still star strikingly beautiful.

"You know, sometimes, you are such a tease." Tamara sighed, rolling her eyes. Melvin laughed, and raised an eyebrow with a smile.

"And why's that?"

"Because your so proper and have so many morals...But yet, you're extremely hot, You're untouchable." Tamara blushed a deep red and looked away from him. Melvin laughed jovially, and shook his head.

"Tamara...Let's get somewhere safe and talk about your silly fantasies." He joked, and stepped away a little bit, spreading his wings widely.

Tamara nodded, and spread her wings out, the flames spreading wide as the wings formed.

Melvin watched Tamara transform into her half Phoenix form, finding the unique transformation appealing to watch. Although fire was most known for destruction, it had a beauty to it, it brought on a whole new look and light to the world. As the flames washed over Tamara from her marks like waves over sand, smoke rolling off her skin and into the air, the flames replacing her tan skin and coloring her into the pallet of fire, Melvin was in awe.

"What?" Tamara asked, growing insecure as Melvin looked her over.

"There's a reason the Phoenix chose you, a reason that's unclear. But there's more then a million reasons that my soul loves you, that I love you...And I must say, I am glad that fate has chosen us to be together. To find love in such a hopeless place..." Melvin smiled, speaking his mind as he often found himself doing while in the presence of Tamara.

Tamara blushed a deeper red then her hair, and looked away.

"M-Melvin! Maybe that's a little too much to say-"

"It isn't Tamara. I love you, accept that. You've said it before, and you were the first to say, now why do you think whatever I say about it is too much?"

"Because...My past...My instinct tells me to deny it...I've not allowed myself to trust anyone, let alone with this much of myself..."Tamara wandered off, but looked to Melvin continued, "But with you, everything that says that seems to just melt away, and I find myself...More in love with you then I even thought was possible. And that coming from me is something really unusual..." Tamara trailed off as Melvin's hand placed itself gently on the side of her face, his mouth meeting hers quickly.

Despite the flames so close to his skin, Melvin ignored the marks heat on Tamara's skin, burning with her delight in being in his arms. Melvin's arms wrapped around Tamara, pulling her on his feet so she was the same height as him. As her arms wrapped around his neck, he couldn't help but smile, slowly opening his mouth to take things a bit further then before.

Tamara's eyes flew open, Melvin laughing, but instead she went with it.

Tamara pulled away, gasping for air, and Melvin kissed her cheek, brushing his skin against hers in an affectionate way. Tamara giggled, placing her hands on both sides of his face, looking into his eyes.

"And what was that?"

"You proving things can be like that and not trying to jump my bones." Melvin laughed, and Tamara rolled her eyes in a playful way.

"Normally, it's the man who tries to get the woman into his bed...Yet, you come willingly to mine." She joked, having separate meanings in her words.

"You can't put those two together like that, Tamara. I sleep in your bed with you because you asked me to. You want me there."

"Don't act like you don't want to be there." Tamara rolled her eyes again, and Melvin wagged a finger at her.

"Nothing was said about me wanting to be there, this is about you adding two completely different meanings and trying to play them off as one."

"But you want to be there-"

"I didn't I say I didn't want to be there."

"Do you?" Tamara asked, tired of him focusing on what she meant instead of if he wanted to be there.

"I really appreciate you asking and not jumping the gun, honestly." Melvin said with a smile, and Tamara shot him a warning look.

"Well, do you?" She pressed again, her voice firm.

Melvin gently placed his hands on her hips, bending his face dangerously close to hers.

"Let's leave this conversation with a simple, brief answer. It's more then a...desire..." Melvin whispered into her ear with a smile, the heat rushing to Tamara's face again.

Melvin chuckled, looking at Tamara in a devious way as he back up, his wings taking him into the sky at a low level, levitating just above ground.

"Time to go?" Tamara asked, and Melvin nodded considerably, extending a hand.

Tamara took it, and off they went off to the secret spot of theirs.

_**Authors note: **_

_**Well, that's chapter 21, and the bitch- I mean the "witch" is back! But what will happen? Why did Melvin act so rudely? There's more the that back story?**_

_**R and R?**_

_**What could happen next?**_

_**Yu-Gi-Oh character references that I made and Alternate Universe Characters from(The original idea for them) © Their creators**_

_**Alternate Universe Characters, Tamara, Kyrah, and the Dark Side of the Moon © ME.**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Insanity is Welcome Here**

Allen looked to Bakura, who glared in return, but sighed.

"I'm going to go get Akefia-" He said, standing up and walking towards the wooden door that lead to the hallway.

Melvin sighed, and held up a hand towards him.

"Don't let Allen's impatience get to you. Akefia told us to wait here, so we wait."

"Yeah but he should hurry his ass up, we're wasting day light and time." Kyrah chimed in, playing with a box of cigarettes.

"That's the same thing, dumb-ass." Tamara spat, and Melvin shot her a look. Tamara smirked as Kyrah glared, Akefia stepping in the room.

"Now, now. Put your claws away, I bring good news." Akefia chuckled, giving Kyrah a lustful look.

She beamed brightly, looking smugly at Tamara.

Tamara rolled her eyes, and Melvin closed his own.

"What's the news?" Allen asked, after a short observation of the two females rivalry.

"The good news, is wonderful. We're all going to par-take in something...Special."

"Special? Can't wait to hear this one." Tamara said, crossing her arms and putting her feet up on the table. Kyrah shot her a dirty look, and reached for the water, her chair spinning as she picked it up, all the ice and water falling on Tamara.

"Oops! I'm _sorry_." Kyrah hissed, glaring. Tamara looked down at her clothes with a shocked look, her eyes turning to fire as she glared at Kyrah.

"You _**BITCH**__!_" Tamara hissed, reaching towards Kyrah, gripping her throat with her hands.

Allen was the first to react, jumping into the shadows and grabbing Kyrah as Melvin grabbed Tamara.

Allen pulled Kyrah to the other side of the room, shutting the shadow door-before she could figure it out- and held her back.

"Hey! Hey! STOP IT!" Akefia yelled, glaring at Tamara, who was thrashing about, already in full half Phoenix form, her markings sizzling and smoking. Melvin's face was twisted in pain, as he struggled to hold her back and not get burned.

Isis jumped in to help him, standing in front of Tamara, trying to calm her down.

"What the fuck?" Bakura yelled, glaring at Kyrah.

"She started it! Putting her damn stinky feet on MY side of the table!" Kyrah snapped, viciously thrashing around, which did her no good in Allen's tight, calm, strong grip.

"Your side of the table? SINCE WHEN DID YOU GET TO DIVIDE THE TABLE INTO SIDES? AND YOU REALLY SHOULD SMELL YOURSELF, BITCH FIT! AND HERE'S A HINT, YOU'RE NOT A BASKET OF ROSES!" Tamara shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice booming and echoing with a hint of a thousand years.

The Phoenix started to show, and Isis put her hands on Tamara, trying to stop the transformation, which would cause more damage, and set Melvin on fire.

"If you continue this, Melvin will get hurt..." Isis whispered into Tamara's ear so no one else would hear, but it calmed her down a little bit.

Allen put a shadow hand over Kyrah's mouth, silencing her, and there was a pause in time, the room falling silent.

Akefia sighed, looking at both the women, and shook his head.

"It's clear we can't function properly as a full team. Nevermind about the Special group activity Instead, we'll spend the weekend training, until we can learn not to explode at teammates." Akefia sighed, throwing the insult at Tamara.

"She fucking dumped water on me!" Tamara scuffed, anger coloring her face.

"It was an accident and she apologized. And maybe you need to 'cool-off', Tamara. It was _her_ space." Akefia spat as he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Allen let Kyrah go, who dashed out the door after Akefia in a hurry.

"Wait!" She called, running towards the tall tan man in a hurry.

"Whore." Tamara spat, sliding out of Melvin's grip, and running out the door to go outside.

Melvin huffed, catching his breath, looking at everyone left in the room.

"So it begins..." Ryou said, looking down at his hands.

"So it does." Marik added, looking to Bakura, who looked to Allen, who looked to Isis, who looked to Melvin.

And then all eyes were on Melvin.

"What do we do...?" Isis asked, looking to her brother.

"What do we do? It's...to early to tell..We wait, for now." He sighed, and went after Tamara.

Allen looked at everyone, and finally spoke up.

"I'm not one to follow someone who hasn't filled a contract, but he's right. I'm taking his lead. We can't jump the gun here, we've got our own to look after before we change the routine." Allen remarked, and fell into the shadows.

Tamara didn't know where she was going, nothing was clear. All she could think of was the fucking bitch she just had to deal with, how Akefia fawned over her, and always yelled at Tamara.

She was angry. She wanted to hurt someone, something, get this aggression and anger out.

And before she knew it, she was pinned to the ground by a blur of gray.

"Arrgggg!" Tamara screeched, and started thrashing out again, until a voice rang in her ears.

"Calm down. You're okay. Everything's fine."

Melvin.

Tamara stopped, her heart racing as she realized how close Melvin was, and how close he had to be to hold her down. His wings were extended widely, and the sharp claws on the ends were stuck in the ground to help keep her down.

She looked at him with red, piercing eyes for a moment, and took some slow, deep breaths.

"Are you calm?" Melvin asked, his wings folding behind him as he looked her over. She looked away from his face, ignoring how close he was to her, and didn't respond to his question.

"Oh Mara..."Melvin sighed, and gently kissed her temple, making her blush and turn to him.

"I'm...I'm...Uh..."Tamara stammered, and Melvin gave a light smile as he brought his mouth to hers.

"I understand how upset you are...We all are. This is how Kyrah is, and why we all can't stand her. She's nothing...Don't let her get to you..." Melvin could barely believe what he was saying, considering that he himself couldn't ignore her. She got under his skin, and he just wanted her to leave him alone.

"Don't let her get to me? Do you even HEAR yourself?" Tamara exclaimed.

Melvin stopped, took a deep breathe, and stood up.

"Sometimes, I'm not even sure..." He mumbled, and turned away from Tamara.

She looked down, not sure exactly what emotion she was feeling, and sat up.

"I'm...Sorry." She said, at last, and looked up to his gleaming yellow eyes.

He gave a half smile, his canines showing a bit, and shook his head.

"It's only natural that you acted in such a way. She does that to people, thinks it's fun...And you can't give her the satisfaction of seeing it affect you-"

"And what of Akefia?" She said bluntly, sighing angrily.

"He'll bend to her every command. Just like he would have if it were you in his bed."

"Whaaat?" Tamara gaped, eyes wide with shock.

"Yeah, he's got her up at night. You sleep like a rock, Mara." Melvin chuckled and continued, " And yes, if you would have stayed with him, like you two were before, me out of the equation, the same would happen to you..." Melvin looked away with a shrug. No sense in explaining a path that wasn't taken.

"But...I didn't...I don't... I feel like I can't be like that. Even imagining myself with him and like that...Disgusts me." Tamara said, with a cringe. Melvin gave her a half hardhearted smile, and sat next to her.

"You almost were, though." Melvin said, pulling her into his lap, Tamara sitting inside his legs, his arms wrapping around her waist. He rested his head on her head, and breathed slowly, a tiny throbbing in his teeth at the exposed skin.

He'd have to feed soon, it had been a while, hadn't it?

He ignored it for now, and instead, kissed her cheek,

"But I'm not now."

"And that's what matters. You're with me, not him, as well. I'm sure that helped. He's always been the one to go for wild, bitchy, slutty, evil women." Melvin sighed, and Tamara stiffened.

"Is..Was that...Do you think I'm like that?" She asked, outraged as she ripped away from him.

"Of course not!I was talking about Kyrah." Melvin objected, and Tamara glared.

"But you said he's always been the type to go after those kinds of women! He went after me!" She snapped icily, and Melvin rolled his eyes.

"Yes, but does he have you? NO. You're not like them then."

"But he-"

"He doesn't matter! What matters, is that you change, and you're out of his grip...Besides, he'll get bored, or she'll luckily..." Melvin stopped. He was just about to wish Kyrah dead.

Remembering his past with her, he stared at the ground with an aloof look, thinking back to that time.

"Melvin?" Tamara asked for the hundredth time. But nothing in his facial features told her he was with her in reality. He'd mentally checked out.

She sighed, looking around her. She couldn't tell where she was, or what direction was the way home.

Anger fading, she blink as a bright white light filled the world around her, the Phoenix appearing as an apparition in front of her.

"He's fine. Just remembering something. He'll be back soon. For now, thought, now that I have you, nearly alone, I can talk to you."

"About what? You don't want anything to do me ever." Tamara scuffed, and the Phoenix crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, looking regal in her royal clothing. Tamara couldn't stand how she dressed sometime, she looked like a Sun Queen. Nevermind that the markings resembled the crown on the Phoenix, it still annoyed her.

"This is different. I have...News. About you and...Him." She glanced at Melvin, then back to Tamara.

"What about him?" Tamara asked ready to walk into defensive mode, standing between the Phoenix and Melvin.

"Calm yourself down. It's nothing bad. It's actually quite interesting. I assign him to protect you, and he ends up doing an excellent job, more so then was required. I don't think it's safe for you to be with someone like him, given the circumstances he's put you through." The Phoenix glared intensely at Tamara, and Tamara rolled her eyes.

"And what circumstances would that be?"

"He drank YOUR BLOOD. That's inexcusable!" She hissed, looking down at Tamara.

"He needed it! He wouldn't have made if he had to hunt!"

"Did he? Would he? You left yourself become a meal! He's tasted your blood, he's seen your soul, deep down into you. Without your blood, MY blood, would he love you?" She hissed, and Tamara looked at her like she was insane.

"What the hell are you talking about? Of course he loves me!"

"DOES HE? OR DOES HE LOVE YOUR BLOOD?"

"HE LOVES ME-"

"YOU'LL NEVER KNOW NOW! HE WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL YOU! He's made you a snack. One he can use for emergencies when he's too lazy to hunt." The Phoenix expressed with a disgusted face.

Tamara's face fell, anger masking her pain.

"FUCK YOU, YOU LIAR! HE LOVES ME, NOT MY BLOOD! IF YOU WEREN'T SO HEARTLESS, YOU WOULD SEE THAT!" Tamara screamed, and the Phoenix turned her face up in a snarl.

"This is what I get for warning you...I made a horrible choice bonding with your soul...You would have died without me...Another thing too, he almost killed you...Think of that next time your lips meet his, you know, the same lips that drank your blood twice, and almost killed you?" With that, she was gone, and Tamara glared back at the fields of orange grass, spinning around at the sudden feeling of a hand on her shoulders.

"Are...Are you alright?" Melvin asked, blood around his mouth, canines out.

Tamara rubbed her eyes, and blinked a few times.

She was hallucinating.

"Tamara?" Melvin asked, giving her a confused look, and she backed away from his touch.

"What?" She spat, and he raised an eyebrow.

"You're mad at me? What did I do?" He asked, rolling his eyes, making Tamara snarl.

"Just...Leave me alone." She said, storming off.

Allen watched as the Phoenix faded away, and sighed. More drama.

The world was nothing but drama, now a day's. Nothing made sense. Why would people fight so often? Especially Lady Fire-Bird? And Melvin taking her blood? Repulsed Allen.

Nothing to do but go back to Isis and ask.

Isis' eyes widened, and she went quiet for a moment.

"How...Could you see her? If she came to Tamara in a spirit form?"

"She's worshiped in my original country, therefore, my being able to see her with Ethen- Spirit eyes. I heard every word as clearly as if it were a contract. She doesn't approve of Melvin, and he...Drank her blood before..." Allen added, tone unchanged, expressionless as he tried to understand.

"He WHAT?"

"Lady Fire-Bird thinks so...And Tamara defended it, for Melvin of course. Could he be a danger to her? Or is this something to let go?"

"ABSOLUTLY NOT! HE KNEW WHY HE SHOULDN'T TAKE BLOOD FROM HER! THAT IDIOT!"

"I'll be in the shadows..."

"Yeah, but there won't be a fight. I mean..." Isis settled down.

"Hm?" Allen asked, standing next to her.

"I just don't understand...He loved her beforehand, why would the Phoenix say that? And why would he take blood?"

Isis recalled a time she felt her brother over the edge.

"Oh goodness..."She mustered, putting her head in her hands.

"What?"

"He starved himself...He must of avoided it as much as he could to protect her..."

"Why would he do that? She's strong enough to fend for herself..."

"Yes, but if my brother loves someone like he loves Tamara, he'll protect her in any way he can...And with what's happened, I see his reasoning...He must have been on the very edge, or over it, to feed on her..." Isis shook her head, took a deep breath, and turned to Allen.

"Would you take me to him? Through the shadows? Please?"

"Anything for you, my lady." He smiled, and winked as he pulled her through the shadow portal.

Bakura grumbled all the way to his room.

"I just don't understand why-" He began, but Marik shook his head.

"We aren't supposed to, remember that-" They both stopped in the hallway, turning back to the living room.

"What..."

"The..."

"HELL?" They yelled in unison at the in-plain-view sight of the two lovers.

"What?" Akefia sat up, rubbing his eyes. Kyrah stirred,briefly looking up at the two and shrugging them off.

"You...You...You can't just do that out here! It was more then enough when you two wee in your rooms, but out here? WE NEED ROOM TO LIVE WITHOUT THE CLOUD OF YOUR...YOUR..."Marik stopped yelling for a few minutes, Akefia's eyebrow already raised at him in an uncaring way, and stormed out of the living room back to his own.

Bakura didn't look twice at the couple on the floor, wrapped in blankets, and stalked down the hall after him.

Akefia smiled brightly, busting into a loud hardy laugh after the door slammed shut.

"You're right, that was fun." He chuckled, running his hand down her hair.

She gave a big grin back.

"Just wait until we rule Italy, those beaches, just for us and our slaves, it'll be wonderful..."She sighed contently.

"Yeah, but for now, this is good. Once the world get's a look at you, I'm sure they'll surrender willingly."

"You bet they will. But I'll only have eyes for the one man in my life, who isn't my servant." She curled up closer to Akefia, who smiled and held her close to him.

Kyrah was more then he could have wanted, although he still had thoughts about Tamara, she wouldn't be strong enough for Queen. No, no. Kyrah, had always been there, was always looking for a way to remember...Kyrah was good...

Thoughts of the future rang in his mind, them ruling humanity together, with the best army and slaves in the world. The humans would serve nicely for the return of him and his kin. And even then, with Melvin and the team by his side, no one would challenge them. No idiot would dare to...And later in life, he would leave the throne to the heir.

"You know, once we have Humanity slain at our feet, using some as foot rests even, it's going to be a good life." He sighed, content with his well planned, and well thought out future.

"Yeah...And there's going to be no more little girls to lash out..."

"No more silly, rebellious humans..." Akefia mused, and licked inside Kyrah's ear.

"Hey!" She giggled, and he smiled, looking to her neck.

"So we don't get too messy out here, why don't we move to my room and have us a little...Drink?" He suggested, licking her neck and gently running his teeth against her skin. She let out a squeal, and Akefia carried her, and the blankets to his room.

_**Authors note: And Tamara is confused once again! :D the Phoenix's bitched about something or another, and Akefia and Kyrah going public?**_

_**Not exactly unheard of...**_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters that I based the AU.C's off of © their creators**_

_**Everything else, Allen, this alternate universe, Tamara and chili © me.**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: "Wickedly Dangerous."**

Akefia stretched and opened his eyes.

His bed sheets were covered in blood, and Kyrah was not to be found in the bed, but in the bathroom, taking a shower.

Akefia laughed and walked into the bathroom.

"Did you have fun?" He chuckled, and Kyrah laughed.

"It was fun...Too bad we can't do it again."

"Well...Although I'd be happy to, I can't drink all of you at once...Then I wouldn't have you anymore."

"It certainty would make that bitch happy." Kyrah spat, stepping out and wrapping a towel around her.

" 'That bitch'?" Akefia raised an eyebrow, not recalling the previous day's fight.

"That red headed bitch who hates me! I didn't do anything, and she wants me dead!"

"Tamara? She doesn't want you dead-"

"How do YOU know? You leave her with the others, and now? No one want's anything to do with me! Did you really replace me with something as low as that?"

"She's a member of the team, and combined with the Phoenix-"

"Which was supposed to be mine!"

"It was a life-or-death matter, Kyrah. Do not yell at me for such. She has skill, fighting skills, survival skills, that we didn't need to drill into her head! She's a good asset to the team, hate fueled or not."

Kyrah fell silent, not looking at Akefia.

"So you like her."

"It's nothing more then a employee and employer relationship."

"So you do like her!"

"I didn't say I did."

"But you didn't not say it either!"

"Kyrah, I feel nothing for her." Akefia said, but something within him laughed at the lie. He felt something, but couldn't name it, couldn't reach it, so he ignored it.

"What do you think of her?"

"I think she's a good fighter, and I can scare her into doing what I command, so therefore, I think she's a good asset."

"What do you think of me?"

"I think you're a wonderful, beautiful, drop dead gorgeous bitch who's going to be my queen." He smiled a toothy smile, and Kyrah smiled back.

"After we rule, can I make her my slave? Or kill her?"

"No."

"Aww! Why not! We'll be ruling the world! We won't need her!"

"To keep order, we'd need sheriffs of the world, we can't rule it by ourselves without some lower help."

"But she'll try to assassinate me!"

"No, she's not smart enough for that. Allen's the assassin."

"Could we get rid of him? I don't like him...Or Isis. She needs to go too.."

"Kyrah, we aren't getting rid of anyone. They'd be too scared to challenge us. And Allen, stupidly, signed a contract that he can't escape. It states That I can use him as long as I need him...And I'll never stop needing him when I rule the world." Akefia laughed, and Kyrah liked the way it sounded, evil, sadistic and sinister.

"Oh, you're crude... " She laughed along.

Melvin walked into Tamara's room, and laid down next to her.

"Mara..."

"I said to leave me alone." She dryly commented on his presence, but didn't push him away.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him, and she buried her face in his chest.

"What happened?" He asked, gently. But she shook her head.

"Do you love me?" She asked, and Melvin immediately responded.

"Of course I love you."

"Why?"

"Because you're you." Melvin answered, reassuring her again. Nothing like this surprised him anymore.

"Because of my blood?"

Now that, shocked him, and he looked down at her.

"No. I don't love your blood. I love YOU. Why would even ask that?" He demanded, and Tamara looked away from him.

"Because that's what the Phoenix said...That because you drank my blood, you don't know if you love me, or my blood..."

"Tamara, I love you...Your blood has nothing to do with it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can tell the difference between the of blood, and the love I feel for you. I don't love your blood, Tamara, I love you and you know this...Why would the Phoenix say that?" He asked, and loosened his grip, sitting up. Tamara lay on her stomach, her pillow damp, and her mind confused.

"I don't know..." Tamara answered, still doubting that he didn't love her blood.

Melvin sighed, knowing he'd have to prove he loved her, not her blood, in some way.

He regretted drinking from her even more then before.

Melvin laid back down on his back, and pulled Tamara close to him.

"How would you like me to prove it this time?"

"Prove what...?" Tamara sniffled, and Melvin looked at her.

"That I love you, not your blood."

"I don't know." She shrugged, and he pulled her on top of him so she would look at him.

"What can I do?"

"I don't know, Melvin...I don't know."

"How come she has a greater force over you then I do?" He asked, a bit aggravated.

"Because she's a part of me, and has some control over me..."

"And I don't...?"

Tamara stared in his eyes for a moment, and leaned closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yes...You do." She mumbled, and Melvin ran a hand through her hair.

"I'll have to find a way to prove it to you." Melvin said, quietly, a promise he would fulfill.

Ryou sat at his desk, and shut his computer down.

Walking slowly, Ryou walked into Tamara's room, surprised to find Tamara on top of Melvin, and quickly averted his eyes.

"Oh, Sheesh, I'm sorry." Ryou blurted, and Melvin laughed.

"Ryou, it's fine, nothings happening."

"Only because you won't let it." Tamara pouted, and Melvin rolled his eyes.

"You know why."

"Well, you could use it to your advantage...That would prove it."

"The only thing that would prove, would be I can't control myself, and you can't stop yourself from making bad decisions."

"How would it be a bad decision?"

"Tamara, stop it." Melvin sighed, and Ryou stood there awkwardly.

"What did you need?"

"Well...Uh...Nothing, really..I was just sitting there in the lab alone-"

"And you wanted to hang out?" Tamara asked, sitting up, hands on Melvin's chest. Melvin rolled his eyes, grabbing her by the wrists and sliding her off of him, and sitting up.

It didn't work well, and Tamara wrapped herself around Melvin, still sitting in his lap.

"Y-Yeah..."Ryou nodded, and Melvin looked down to Tamara.

"As soon as I detach Tamara, maybe all three of us could."

"Why can't we hang out here?"

"Too dangerous with Kyrah and Akefia."Melvin answered the anxious Tamara, and sighed.

"But, we could go out into the woods."

"We could..."Melvin nodded, and pretty soon, they were all out in the woods.

Tamara snuggled close to Melvin, and Ryou smiled at the two.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you two are just adorable together..."

Tamara didn't say anything, and listened to the slow, steady beat of Melvin's heart. Like rhythmic waves, it continued, calming and strong, the pillars to Melvin's personality.

He felt her soft skin, contrary to her markings, too intoxicated by being so close to Tamara that he couldn't answer Ryou. Her hair was like Egyptian silk, silky, and smooth, the red close to the deep red of rubies, her tan skin soft, and the scent of her like a breath of the sweet scent of the sun itself.

He wasn't hungry, his teeth didn't throb, no sign of hunger or thirst rang within him...

But somehow, he wanted to encase her within him, hold her until he couldn't breathe, until this yearning, this craving for her and her closeness was fulfilled. Nothing seemed close enough, yet, his slow beating heart, picked up the beating, and he ran his fingers through her hair slowly. Her hair glided through his fingers flawlessly, and he pressed his finger tips to the small of her back, not sure what would quench the thirst he still had to be with her.

Tamara's giggle broke him from his thoughts of how...perfect she seemed.

"What are you doing?" Tamara whispered, a girlish smile on her lips.

"I'm not sure." Melvin replied, placing his head on her neck with a breathless smile. "I just get so...I don't know...So intoxicated around you..."

He had never said the words out loud, and the silence from Tamara after they were out, made him panic.

"Intoxicated? Ha! Right..."

"Hmmm...You don't believe me." Melvin stated, as he should have guessed.

"It's most likely just the hormones." Ryou chimed in, sketching some bug on a tree.

"Hormones? I think it's a little more then that." Melvin raised his head, avoiding Tamara's eyes.

She sat in his lap, facing him, legs wrapped around his waist, arms around his neck. He could find no other way to avoid her gaze for much longer, and hoped conversing with Ryou would hold off being intoxicated again, at least for the moment.

Ryou glanced over at the couple with a smile, genuine and gentle. Ryou wished for something at least close to what Melvin and Tamara had.

"Really now? Sweaty palms, fast beating heart, can barely breathe when you see her? Strange, unquenchable thirst to have her closer? You're starting to notice perfections in her that you missed before? The simple sound of her laughing can make you smile?" Ryou asked, naming question after question, leaving Tamara confused, and looking to Melvin eagerly fro answers.

Melvin licked his lips in thought, wondering how easy it was to tell for Ryou, and sighed.

"And if all those silly points of yours were true?" He asked, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Tamara's eyes widening with delight.

"Well, then I'm half right. Love can't be explained, but some of those answers were actual causes to your hormones reacting to love, and sexual attraction." Ryou added, flipping a page in his note book and started sketching another insect.

"Sexual attraction? Hmmm." Tamara gave Melvin a sly look, smugly lowering her eyelids.

"Wonderful, you've used a medical term, and given her some silly idea."

"Melvin, you're pupils are dilated, its a sign to know when you're attracted to someone." Ryou pointed out again, smiling when he turned away from them. This would hopefully push their relationship forward, and become something 'public' so Tamara would be a little more sure that Melvin loved her.

"Oh, look, Melvin's got dilated pupils...He must be attracted to me!" Tamara laughed, and Melvin's heart beat so quickly it felt like it went still.

He wasn't smiling though.

"Tamara, there's more to love then just attraction to the body-"

"I never said anything about being attracted to my body." She pointed out, and Melvin fought back a growl of anger.

"Fine, have it your way." Melvin huffed, sliding Tamara off his lap.

Tamara started to stand, but realized Melvin wasn't just sliding her off his lap for him to get up.

No, no, instead, he leaned above her, forearms on each side of her head, face dangerously close to hers.

"You got me in a corner. Are you happy now? What did you want me to say, to do, huh? Only so much control for someone like me, especially paired with someone like you, Tamara." Melvin growled, a dark smile on his face.

"Wha-What...?" Tamara asked, eyes wide.

"You want to hear me say it? Is that what you want? Perfect, better then holding it in and driving myself further insane."

"Melvin...I...I don't understand-"

"I'm attracted to you...And not just your body, no, oh no, more then your body. It's your whole...Being...I find myself more then amused with your mind set, how you see things, how you speak, everything about you, give or take your temper, and your persistence when you want something, drives me insane! But Tamara, I've said it before, I LOVE you..." Melvin stared into Tamara's eyes, calming down a bit, and backing away from Tamara.

"Happy?" He asked, looking away from Tamara.

Ryou looked away from the couple's conflict, unsure if he should be happy with himself.

"Ecstatic." Tamara smiled, and Melvin shook his head.

"There are no words, Tamara." Melvin spat, standing up and looking away from her.

"There are words...Like 'I love you'..." She said brightly, hugging him.

"Why are you so happy about this?" He asked, looking down at her, placing his hands on her head, tilting to look up at him.

She smiled, placing her head on his chest, listening to his heart.

"You're heartbeat's so slow..." Tamara noted, and Melvin finally wrapped his arms around her, and bent his head down to kiss her hair.

"For a reason."

"You haven't eaten in a long time, you idiot." Tamara hissed, and Melvin rolled his eyes.

"You're in no place to call me an idiot. I feed when I have to."

"But every time you don't feed, or when it's so soon...You won't even look at me." Tamara pouted.

"I don't love your blood, but I stay away because I can get pretty gruesome. Monstrous. Tamara, time to face the fact, that I feed on living things...I'm.."

"If you say you're a monster, I swear, I will torch you. You can't help that you need to feed off of...blood. So you're not the monster, it's only the parts you have to share a body with that are." Tamara assured, placing a hand on his cheek and looking up to him with that occasional sweet, caring look. "If you want...Or need to...You can drink from me..." She tilted her neck and shifted her off it so it was open.

Melvin gripped her shoulders, pinning her against a tree and shaking his head.

"No, Tamara. No." He growled, glaring.

"But if you need it-"

"You already yelled at me to answer if I loved you, or your blood. DO NOT even think to offer something like that if you want the correct answer."

Ryou sat wide eyed, surprised at what he was hearing.

"You...You drank from her? B-Before?" Ryou asked, somehow, shocked. Melvin didn't seem like the type to drink from someone he loved, and Tamara, didn't seem like someone so willing to give her blood up, and most definitely not with the Phoenix.

"You don't understand, Ryou. He almost died." Tamara answered, looking towards him.

"But...Then you asked him to answer if he loved you, or your blood...?" Ryou was so confused, his mind couldn't process anything except how to breathe.

"That was a while after he drank from me and it was the Phoenix's fault...I know he loves me and not my blood. At least, now I do."

"Tamara, I will NEVER drink from you again. EVER." Melvin ignored Ryou, and moved his face closer.

Tamara glared.

"But it beats having to hunt and track something, someone down. Drinking from me could save time and strength!"

"NEVER." Melvin hissed, and let her go, backing away, but kept her gaze.

"Tamara, I don't think this is the time to argue with him..." Ryou mumbled, and she looked at him, following his gaze at Melvin's forehead.

The eye was fully glowing.

"He's being unreasonable." Tamara ignored the Egyptian eye.

"And you're being moronic!" Melvin spat back, and Ryou sighed.

"Okay, okay, both of you, please...Calm down..." He soothed, and Melvin's red eyes locked on him, the one thing between him and Tamara's argument.

And then, down from the sky, Marik landed carefully, Allen climbing out of the shadows, and Bakura appearing from Ryou's shadow.

"Melvin..."Marik spoke, and turned Melvin to look into his eyes.

Marik stood with his black wings extended, and as he locked his gaze with Melvin's, they lowered, folding and disappearing.

"You need to calm down.." Marik spoke slowly, and it even made Tamara's mind a little fuzzy with the hypnotic posture he used.

Until a pair of arms pulled her from the path.

Allen.

"Allen...? What's going on?"

"Melvin. Marik and him are connected. He can sort of control him in that state. It's the only time he'll even listen to Marik. He sensed Melvin fall into that state, leading us here. Now it's my turn. What's going on?" He asked, and Tamara realized that they were a few feet away from the group, in the shadowed woods.

"I was helping Ryou with research, and Melvin came to supervise." She quickly lied, hoping the story would stick with the other two.

"Ah." Was all Allen said, and his gaze followed hers to Melvin.

"I already know." He added soon after, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Know what?"

"About you two. You've let him drink from you. And you two love each other." Allen whispered, and Tamara's marks burned with anger.

"You better keep your dammed mouth shut about!" She hissed, and Allen's silver eyes looked at her with an indifference.

"You speak like I'm on Akefia's side. I could care less about your little romance. You two just need an eye kept on you. He's dangerous, and you're inexperienced, not to mention cocky. It's a bad mix, but I can't be one to judge love."

Tamara went quiet for a long time.

"I do love him, danger and all..."

"Funny how you don't comment about me insulting you."

"Oh, just shut the hell up. I already know it's true, and I'm learning. Isn't that enough for you?" She hissed, and Allen held up his palms.

"Don't bite my head off...Isis knows as well."

"So does Ryou."

"What about Marik and Bakura?"

"I don't think they have a clue...But maybe now they do..."

"How long?"

"Huh?"

"How long have you two been together?" Allen asked, his voice indifferent.

"A few months now, I guess..."

"And when did he draw blood from you?"

"Er..." Tamara said, struggling to think back. "I think it was...Let's just say a few weeks and leave it at that...I don't really remember when, but it's a moderate time span between then and now."

Allen nodded, and looked towards the pool of water, where Bakura, Marik, Ryou, and Melvin were.

"He's settled down now, let's go towards them." He said, and pulled her by the elbow toward the small group.

Marik nodded to Allen, who let go of her and let her walk towards the small group.

"So you two were being supervised by Melvin?" Marik asked, and Tamara nodded.

"Yeah I was helping Ryou with research, and Melvin came along to supervise. Guess he thought we could get some training in." Tamara shrugged, and Ryou's almost wept with relief.

Melvin was no where in sight, and as Tamara looked around, a puzzle look played on her face.

"He went to feed." Marik spoke, his wings back out.

"Oh, okay." She nodded, and watched the three visitors leave.

"Thank goodness." Ryou sighed, relieved.

"Good research." She laughed nervously, and Ryou gave a faint smile.

"We have to be more careful now...With you two being so...They'll be watching him." Ryou summarized his broken thoughts.

"Yeah..."

"Do you suppose he's still...Angry?"

"Hell if I know." She spat, the anger returning to her as she realized what Allen had pulled.

"Excuse me?" Ryou asked, confused. "Is your anger directed on me?"

"No, not you." She spat, "At that fucking shadow walking bastard, Allen."

"What did he do?"

"He used some shadow mesmerizing magic shit."

"What?"

"He relaxed me! A truth serum in shadow form, but with added calmness! I don't know what the fuck it's called! But he used it!" She growled, and Ryou went silent for a while, his brow furrowing in thought.

"I think I know what you mean..I read about it, and only some species can bend shadows like the Eth, but even then, the Eth have perfected it. They can bend it to do what they wish, so maybe that's what he did. Used it to calm you and get you tell the truth? It must be...He must have had his reasons, Tamara."

"Yeah, to get the fucking information he wanted without the bite." She flared, and opened her firey wings.

"I'm going home." She said, and flew off.

Ryou sat there, and sighed, looking around him to the pool of water.

There was no sense in swimming in it, and he turned to find the dragon Tamara owned.

"rrgga?" It growled silently, lowering it's wings so Ryou could climb on him.

"Guess that's the only way out, huh?" He asked, and got on the saddle, enjoying the rush of air as he flew back home.

_**Authors Note: **_

_**Stuff happened, I own my characters, yada yada yada, yeah. **_

_**Hope you enjoyed it. **_

_**Yu-gi-oh characters that I've created an alternate universe from (Original Characters ) © Their creators**_

_**Alternate universe, Alternate Universe characters, Tamara and Allen, Chili © ME**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 "Dawn of a new Day"**

Melvin awoke in his dark bedroom, briefly remembering what the previous days event held.

He sat up quickly, and someone stirred from their sleep next to him.

"Melvin...?" Tamara asked, sleepily, and she sat up as well.

"Mara? What...What happened? Why are we in my room...? What about the pond?" He asked, and Tamara fell back down, burring her face in the pillow.

"Nothing." She mumbled through the feathery dawn pillow.

"Tamara." Melvin sighed, knowing something bad happened immediately.

She sighed, and Melvin lay down next to her, his arm wrapping around her waist.

"Please just tell me."

"You'll get angry again." She sighed, looking up at him with her deep red eyes.

"Again? Why was I angry in the first place?"

"Because I suggested you take my blood." She said, bluntly, and Melvin froze.

"You know how I feel about that."

"But you were hungry."

"It's a nice gesture, but considering you questioned if I love you, or your blood? Stupid. Never again." Also because it had scared her. It showed a more dangerous side to Melvin, one he didn't like showing around.

"So then you got mad, and then the Egyptian Eye came out. But before anything got scary, Marik, Bakura, and Allen came to stop anything from happening. Marik sort of hypnotized you and you ran off to feed, while Allen took me out of your sight. Bakura got the story from Ryou."

"And the story is?" Melvin asked, before he completely exploded.

"That I was helping Ryou with research, and you came along to supervise."

"Believable."

It was all either of them said for a while, and as Tamara held her breath, Melvin turned on his back, and threw his forearm over his eyes.

"We won't talk about the other events." He said at last, and Tamara felt a pang of guilt in her stomach.

"W-Why not?"

"Because it'll be another stupid fight between us, and I'm done fighting."

"But we can't just leave it as it is..."

"No, we can't. But I'm done fighting. It's tiring, and I don't like being angry with you. It hurts to feel such an angry emotion, and with it directed at you? Stings. I just wish you could understand that yes, I do think it's sweet, and generous that you offer, that it means you care for me and don't want me to suffer, but it scared you. Hurt you. It made you question my love. That hurts as well. Having you second guess that I love you, is an insult. I LOVE you, Tamara. I would never ever drink another drop from you again, I'd do anything, if I could prove that." he sighed, and Tamara listened intently, actually paying attention to every word, the emotions in them.

"Okay...That makes sense. I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make you angry."

To Tamara's surprise, Melvin chuckled.

"It's only been that easy? Or are you just saying that for my benefit?"

"No, I mean it. I'm sorry. I didn't understand why you refused, and it was stupid of me to agree with the Phoenix."

"I must be dreaming." Melvin laughed, but didn't remove his forearm to look at her.

She studied his muscles, and studied him entirely. His tan, muscled skin. His long body, and the gold piercings he had. His long, blond, spiky hair.

She relaxed her head on his chest, and listened to his heart beat.

"I love you." She murmured, and Melvin breathed, shifting so he could wrap his arms around her, and look into her eyes.

"I love you too, Tamara."

"Still think this is a dream?"

"Not at all." He shook his head as his fingers traced Tamara's spine, gently running up and down gently.

She didn't say anything, and quicker then she could react, the door opened.

Melvin sat up, throwing a blanket over her, and looked fiercely at the door.

"Brother, calm down. It's only me." Isis' voice rang calmly, and Tamara peeked over the rim of the blanket.

"Oh, I see. Tamara is here." She smiled, and waved at her, coming to the bed and sitting down

"What did you want Isis?"

"I can't come see you, my Brother?"

"Isis, you choose now of all times? Hardly.."

"You have a point, and are correct." She nodded, looking down at her hands.

Melvin waited for her answer for a few minutes.

"And...?" Tamara asked finally, Melvin shot her a look.

"Allen told me." She said, slowly.

Melvin looked to Tamara, with an almost worried look on his face.

"Melvin...I..I can't judge whom you love, but you must be more careful..."

"Yeah, I'm working on that." Melvin sighed, running a hand through his big spiky hair.

Isis nodded, looking to Tamara then with a smile.

"Go easy on him, he's not new, but he's played the guidelines for a long time..." Isis smiled, and Melvin stood up, looking to Tamara and holding up a finger.

"I'll be back in a moment." He said, and dragged Isis into the bathroom, whispering.

"You might want to stay today."

"What for?"

Tamara could just barely hear their whispers, but finally gave up, and curled herself up in his blankets.

She giggled, thinking to herself of really nothing, but her funny situation.

"And I'm still hidden..."She mumbled, sighing. Before, no one could know, and even now, no one could know.

Would it change?

Or was she actually okay with being hidden again? Maybe this time it was different? It had to be different...Now, Melvin actually loved her, he wasn't using her.

She shook her head from the diminishing thoughts, and looked up to see Melvin looking down at her.

"Still...Hidden?" He asked, a little confused.

"It's nothing. Where did Isis go?"

"She went to talk to the others."

"About yesterday?"

"No, no, something else, more related to her I guess. Now, you know I know that it wasn't nothing...Tell me what you're thinking." He suggested, climbing over her to lie next to her and he propped himself on his elbow.

"I'd rather not..."

"Come on, I'm done fighting."

"You'll get mad."

"I promise to try and not be mad." He tried again.

"I was just comparing my love life now to when I was with Chase, and although it's similar, it's still different...But my main point, was that I'm still hiding."

Melvin could agree to that.

"With good reason." He nodded, and left it at that.

Bakura sat with Marik, as Marik practiced playing his harp, Bakura sharpened his knives.

Kyrah walked into the room, in her huffy bitchy way, and scuffed at the two.

"You're still playing that thing? Isn't it rusty?" She laughed, and Bakura and Marik exchanged glances.

Which 'thing' did she mean?

But either way, it was still insulting.

"And you're still slutting around? With those saggy things?" Marik pointed out, continuing to play his harp, making the strings whine with pain and agony, and causing Kyrah to glare even more.

"You don't have to be such a stuck up, I was only joking. Gosh, ever since that bitch came here, all of you guys just...Treat me like dirt..."

"That bitch...?"Bakura's spine stiffened, and the words spilled through his pointed teeth.

"Yeah, the red-headed one. Tambourine."

"Tamara." Marik corrected, not saying anything more as he stood up and collected his things, shooting Bakura a look as well.

"See? You're leaving."

Marik didn't say anything, and Kyrah stomped out of the room.

Tamara strode in with a bored walk, and looked around.

"What are you doing? Anything fun?" She asked Bakura, who calmed his agitated movements.

"Nothing much but sharpening my blade." Bakura eyed her carefully. "Why?"

"I don't know, you just always seem to be doing something fun." She shrugged, and plopped down sideways on the piano bench, hands pressed on the wood before her.

"Well, unfortunately, some work is required on my part to stay here, unlike you."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" She scuffed, and Bakura laughed.

"That you're a lazy ass and don't do shit."

"I do to!"

"Tamara, you couldn't pull your own weight even if it was in a shot glass." Marik said as he walked in.

"Bullshit! I can carry my own dammed weight around here!"

"Then start doing the dishes." Bakura said, and Marik sat on the floor, starting to play a hand held video game.

" Like you do any of that." Marik remarked, rolling his eyes.

"I do more then you, ass hat." Bakura snipped, and Marik paused the game, looking up to him.

"Oh really? Then go do the yard work. It's always Ryou, Melvin, and I stuck with all the damn work around here. Even Isis when she comes to visit. You two wouldn't last with chores for a day."

"I could last a day." Tamara hissed.

"A week?"

"Easy."

"A month?"

"Piece of cake."

"A year?"

There was silence, and Marik un-paused the game.

"Exactly."

"What was it like?" Tamara suddenly asked, staring at Marik.

Marik raised an eyebrow, and closed the hand held device.

"What was what like?"

"Being an angel."

"A guardian angel. There's all types of different angels. Guardians, messengers, the death angel, who I had to talk to often, there's a lot of specifics."

"Can you tell me all you can?"

"Er, sure..." Marik gave her a weary look, but she looked curious, and he continued. "Angels are their own species, but not born like most species. Angels, er, come from clouds, actually."

"Clouds?"

"Well, there's more to it. When the sun hits a cloud, and you can see the light through some holes in the cloud? That's a baby angel. Angels come from clouds, air, sunlight, and water. In the cycle of clouds picking up water and filling up, sometimes earth magic is picked up, and while creating a cloud, angels are 'born'."

"Wow, I never knew that." Tamara gaped.

"I never knew angels were even real..." Bakura remarked. "That is, until I met you." He shrugged.

"Angels end up being assigned jobs, once they are old enough. Guardians protect humans, and see through that they don't die until they are supposed to. Messengers send messages ,-go figure, right?-, to and from angels and other beings. Humans, angels, The High One-"

"The High One?"

"God."

"Ah..."Tamara nodded, suddenly feeling scared.

"Messengers fit their name, bottom line of it all. There are the warriors, the ones many people have statues of, who fight the evil of the worlds. Valkyries, are half angel women. From when a male angel mates with a human female. It's very rare now-a-days, but back in medieval times, angels ran the skies, and often looked down below. Now only certain angels go to the human world. There are miracle angels, often call Life Angels, who bring miracles to deserving humans. There's the Angel of Death, who helps souls cross to the High One when they die. I often had to talk to him because I was supposed to be his replacement, but when the High One decided I was to be Melvin's Guardian Angel, some Warrior took the position. There are too many angel jobs to name, too many specifics, but those are the basics." Marik thought back for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, that's about it."

"How did you get to be Melvin's Guardian angel?"

"Certainty couldn't be because of good behavior." Bakura sneered, and Marik punched his leg.

"The High One decided it, so I had no choice. The High One puts the Earth Magic on Earth, thus he's the whole basis of our lives. We are in debt to him. He directed me to Melvin when Melvin's mother's Guardian was growing ill because Melvin's mother was. A Life Angel just happened to help with the pregnancy because Melvin was to come to this world through her, and although ill, she did give birth to Melvin-"

"Wait, aren't you younger then Melvin?" Tamara asked, and Marik nodded.

"Indeed I am. But with Angels, we are born almost instantly, no infant years like humans. We are born in the bodies of 18 year old's. Other then that, Angel's do not age. I was born after Melvin was, and just as his mother died giving birth to Isis, so did their mothers Guardian Angel, leaving Melvin unprotected and unguarded from any danger, and left to take care of Isis. I was put into place of his Guardian, and thus learned of my original intent. It is believe that is why I could keep a closer eye on Melvin, and reach the human world. I could protect him more then anyone else. Save him from a fatal fall, simple "miracles" as humans say. I could not make choices from him, but control some key elements in his daily life. When Akefia walked into his life, I quickly said my goodbyes to my fellow Angels." Marik looked down at his hands, and Tamara leaned closer.

"Why?" She asked, completely absorbed in the story.

"No human, nor angel, has been recorded to come back from a Blood Elf. They feed off the blood of the innocent, but this Blood Elf, had different intents. He didn't wish to hurt Melvin, at least, not in the way of draining him, nor did he seek me. He simply had a plan, a plan that he needed Melvin's strong build and bravery for. He had been watching Melvin for years, without my knowing. He saw Melvin had what it took, and he also knew what was needed to take Melvin to the Dark Side of the Moon. It was a place all Angels feared they would be dragged down to, for there is no hope for any angel who does. They become the 'Fallen' and are never are spoken of again."

"Why?Is it that sad?" Tamara asked, surprised.

"No, once you become a 'Fallen Angel', you are no longer important to the attention of the Angels. The Fallen are not recorded, and wrote off dead."

"How come?"

"Because we cannot reach the skies again."

"But you can fly."

"We cannot see other angels, talk to them, the Fallen ones wings can only withstand the tangible world, we loose the Earth Magic, and become a different species entirely."

"What about Melvin?"

"He fell because Akefia had an affluence no one else had. Akefia was Melvin's only friend."

"That's sad..." Tamara frowned, and Marik held up a hand.

"It made him who he is, and it's not his fault. His father was of Egyptian Royal decent who wanted nothing to do with his children, as Melvin's mother was but a poor mistress. His mother was a simple commoner, who had an illness that killed her once she had Isis. He was left alone, with a baby sister care for. He kept tom himself, and didn't speak to anyone. Akefia walked into his life, almost the same age, but he had a lot more experience."

"What...?"

"Akefia is a Blood Elf, an Elf born from Elves, on the Blood Red Moon. They are pretty rare, but monsters among many species. They are known as Vampires to the Humans, if that help clears anything up. White hair, red eyes, pointy fingernails and teeth. They live off blood, as it as well part of their culture, as it is their survival. They drink for fun, they drink to live." Marik breathed, and looked around.

"We can't talk about this here...Quickly, come with me." He grabbed Tamara and Bakura's hands and led them to his room, and quickly down into a long tunnel.

"Walk down there." He ordered, and once they got the the end, he tugged a few strings, and a door opened.

They walked into a hollow tower, and as Marik led them up into a tree base, he sat them down and picked up where he left off.

"Akefia was born evil. When he was born, he drained his mother dry. Normally, Elves keep track of blood moons, but I suppose something happened, and they didn't take into account. Once the Blood Elves came for him, and he recognized his unity, they took him under their wing. He was the most craftiest, and one of the smartest. He used being a Blood Elf as an asset to what he wanted, what he required. He was the trouble maker of the rest of them, running around with humans. He found the Dark Moon, soon after his teenage years..."

"How?"

"Blood Elves are part of the group of creatures that are completely open to the Dark Moon at birth. They can walk in and out of it, but most favor it here, due to the darkness of it. Humans must 'fall' along with Angels, but humans loose their innocence, hated immensely and wished gone. Some can get banished here, and some can get saved by human psychics. Akefia stumbled upon it, intrigued by the run of Gremlins here, over running this world. He needed an army, a strong one, and one that was expendable."

"Then he approached Melvin?" Tamara asked, and Marik nodded.

"He had noticed him, how strong he was, no real friends. One sister, who had 'powers', and was just becoming a teen, while Melvin was just turning 17. Easily undetectable if taken. But as Akefia watched them more, he saw potential. They powered each other up, they had a balance he'd never seen in humans, and these two were quickly becoming potential members in Akefia's everyday life, before Akefia could tell himself no, he started building the needed relationship with Melvin and Isis. Thus, beginning their journey. He finally convinced Melvin and a few other fifty humans to help him fight the Gremlin war, and as they charged into battle, Akefia keeping Isis near him at her adolescent age during the war, all other humans died, except Melvin..."

"How did he get Melvin to fall?"

"That's something you have to ask Melvin, it's too personal to him for me to say." Marik said with a hard look on his face.

"But once he fell, and I had to stay hidden, no longer and Angel, but a Fallen One, Akefia wasn't sure what to do. His most important asset was torn in two, and dying...That's when I stepped out of the shadows, knowing I was assigned to help Melvin no matter the costs, and told Akefia I knew what to do. I gave Melvin half my blood, taking his mangled half in return, binding us forever."

"But...Wouldn't you die?"

"Although I am a Fallen, I still contain some Angel abilities. My singing voice, I heal and do not die as easily as any other creature, not even Blood Elves. So when I took on the broken half, it healed, but there was no such easy luck with Melvin. It was the first time I'd ever met a Blood Elf, and when Akefia told me he had planned for a horrible outcome, he stuck down two nearby beasts, a Demon and Gargoyle. He took their DNA, and some of his blood, mixing them all and forcing Melvin to drink. Isis used her 'powers' to force the healing a little further, and in a month or so, He was fully healed..."

"So...That's that story...What about Ryou?"

"He was an Elf in the Human world, and he had a personality disorder." Marik shrugged, as if their was no more to be said. "Akefia recognized his wonderfully bright brain, and they both worked a plan. Ryou would work for Akefia in the Dark Moon World, if Akefia could help him get rid of his dark side. " Marik jabbed a finger at Bakura, who smiled and laughed.

"I remember that. I was so happy. Akefia, although someone I could still care less about, was a guy I could see the truth in his eyes. He had an asset worth pursuing, if I may. Using Isis' powers and the technology Ryou could create, they came up with a plan to separate Ryou and I." Bakura laughed, and Marik explained further.

"Bakura is a drow, a dark elf. Because Ryou was a regular Elf, his evil side would be the equivalent of the opposite of Ryou."

"And Kyrah?"

The two men fell silent.

"We don't speak of the she-devil." Bakura hissed, and Tamara nodded.

"I don't enjoy talking about her, but what is she?"

"Half human." Bakura looked away, angry.

"Half she wolf."

"Seriously?"

"No, she just a regular stupid human who got saved by the Psychics. Akefia and her were fuck buddies when she was 16, and he took her along with him here."

"What?" Tamara gaped.

"Yeah, Akefia took a liking to more the Melvin and Isis. He enjoyed how 'alive' she was. So he found her in a dark alley, and took her to a bar, got her drunk-"

"And what?"

"Well, at that many drinks, she was going to agree to anything."

"He...He...He raped her?" Tamara shouldn't have been so surprised.

"No, not entirely. She gave him consent, begged for it as Akefia puts it."

"Ew..." Tamara drew her face up in a scrunchy way.

"But that's it." Marik started to stand, and opened the door they came through again.

"Time to leave."

"Eh,...Thanks...I guess, for telling me the story. But you never fully answered my first question."

"I didn't?"

"I only asked what it was like." Tamara chuckled, and Marik gave a small smile.

"It was nice while it lasted." He said, and shoved Tamara back into the tunnel.

She sighed, and began walking back.

Isis looked out the window, studying the world she knew too well. She wasn't sure what she missed, but she desired something that this world could not give.

"Isis?" Ryou called, his white hair falling down over his eyes as he looked down at a piece of paper.

"Hm?" Isis asked, turning just slightly, observing Ryou.

"I think you need to sign these papers..." Ryou handed her a small stack of white papers, and as she read the black ink at the top, she froze.

"No." She quickly snarled, throwing the papers to the ground.

"No? Why? They were addressed to you..."

"I will not sign them. As matter of fact, I never got them." Her venom hit Ryou's sharp ears painfully, her words almost tangible as she threw them in the flames in the fireplace next to her.

Ryou watched them burn, afraid to look at Isis.

When he felt her gaze on his face, he slowly turned to her.

He couldn't speak, and Isis only looked at him.

"Why are you here? You're too sweet...Too nice. You should have been saved a long time ago Ryou." Isis looked intently into his innocent eyes, and Ryou looked away, his stress levels rising.

"Well I had Bakura in my head, and had a split personality order. So, I made a pack with Akefia after I met him someplace. I had the smarts, he had assets worth exploring. I was hated and accused of killing someone, when it was Bakura who had. Nonetheless I ended up here from the human world. That's why."

"That's hardly a reason." Allen said, gently stepping out of the shadows.

"It's the only reason." Ryou set back to his work and ignored the other two.

_**Authors note:**_

_**Yeah, here ya go.**_

_**Enjoy, a witty comment might be up next chapter, I don't really feel like it now. Murphy. **_

_**Yu-Gi-Oh characters (original, non-Alternate Universe) © their creators**_

_**Alternate universe characters, Chili, Tamara and Allen © Me**_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: "Rule of Games":**

Melvin sat at the table drinking coffee and relaxing.

"Hey, Deman." A snicker came from behind him, and he sighed, not even bothering with a reply.

"Remember that? Demon? De-MAN?" She awaited a response but only got silence from Melvin.

"Does everyone hate me? I mean, come on! FIRST YOU BASTARDS REPLACE ME, THEN YOU HATE ME?" She screamed, but Melvin only continued to drink his coffee, ignoring her.

Until she sat across from him.

"What the hell is your problem? Is it that little tramp? The red-headed bitch?" She demanded, throwing her fist onto the table.

"I bet it is. And just to think, me and you could have had something...Something big." She taunted, but Melvin didn't fall for it, and only rolled his eyes, looking at the newspaper.

"Sure, go ahead an ignore me, but don't deny you didn't feel anything..." She laughed, and stood up, slowly waling over to him.

She placed her hands on his shoulders, slowly brushing them down his chest, leaning down to his ear.

"I think I still remember what you...Like..." She giggled, and was only slapped away from Melvin.

Melvin picked up his coffee, and stood up.

"Don't you remember?" She mocked. Melvin only rolled his eyes again.

"Answer me!" Kyrah snapped, and Melvin turned away, ever so slightly dodging the toast she threw at him.

He left the room only to be followed by her.

"LOOK! YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER ME!" She yelled, trying to tackle him, only succeeding in falling on her back.

"Fine-" She started to hiss, but stopped.

Melvin saw her too.

Tamara sat, back to Melvin, talking to Bakura and Marik.

All three ignored the scuffle, already used to Kyrah yelling on the mark of each hour.

Melvin smiled, and set his coffee on the coffee table, and sat behind Tamara, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her, his lips gently gently kissing the side of her neck.

Everyone but Melvin froze, shock running through them.

"M-Melvin?" Marik asked, and looked at his arms.

"Yeah?" He asked, and looked over at him.

"W-What...Are you doing?" Tamara asked, almost a whisper.

"I'm done fighting, I'm done hiding, I've told you this." He smiled, and kissed her cheek.

"Wait...Wait...Hiding? You mean to say that..." Marik couldn't finish the sentence, but Bakura saw it as free game.

"You're screwing each other? You're fucking your mentor, you're trainer, YOU'RE TEACHER!" He laughed, holding his stomach.

"Oh, that's just RICH." He laughed even harder.

"We're dating, yes." Melvin ignored his childish nature. It was immature, and juvenile.

"You two have been hiding this?" Marik asked, a little confused.

"You could say that." Melvin shrugged, and Tamara let out a silent sigh of relief, snuggling deeper into Melvin's chest.

Kyrah scrambled to get up from the floor, fueled with anger.

"Not only did she replace me, but SHE'S FUCKING YOU TOO?" She hissed, and stormed out of the living room.

"But you know what? If it pisses her off? I'm okay with it." Marik added, glaring where Kyrah was a few minutes before.

"So, how long?"

"Hmm?" Melvin raised an eyebrow.

"Have you two been together?"

"We've been training for a few months, she's getting pretty good at fighting."

"No, I meant dating."

"I know."

"So it started then?"

There was a silence, and Marik nodded.

"Acknowledged. If you're happy, I'm happy, Brother."

"So that's why you got all prissy when she partied with us..."Bakura realized.

"It was also because I was assigned to protect her from toxins. Which you subject her to."

"Great fucking job there, she drank one of Ryou's poisons, so it wasn't all our fault, it was more your fault then anybodies."

"Not my fault, I wasn't present."

"Shouldn't you have been?"

"Look, it's in the past now, and my stupid fault, don't blame Melvin." Tamara hissed, and Bakura laughed.

"And now she speaks." Bakura chuckled, and looked at Melvin.

"So, maybe later we can have a bro chat..."

"No." Melvin rolled his eyes, and kissed Tamara's cheek again.

"I'll be back, I gotta' go talk to Akefia before things get really sticky." He let her go and stood up.

As soon as he was gone, Tamara grabbed his coffee.

"So, how long?"

"It's already been answered."

"What have you two been doing?" Bakura pressed, and Tamara laughed, standing up.

"Dating." Tamara laughed and turned away from them, leaving the room.

Melvin sat in Akefia's office, a smile still hinted on his face.

"It's been a while since we've talked, one-on-one, hasn't it?" Akefia smiled, and sat down across from Melvin.

"It has." Melvin agreed.

"Yes, but lately with Kyrah back, it's hard to appease her appetite, and my own." He smiled.

"I'm sure. It's not like we haven't heard it." Melvin chuckled, slightly disgusted with the fact it was true.

"Well, It's a big role to fill." Akefia raised his glass. "Tamara on the other hand...I see difficulty with her and my lover..."

"It's never Tamara's fault-"

"And now you're on her side? What happened to the side lines?" Akefia mocked, but continued. "It is her fault, Kyrah doesn't do anything wrong, Tamara's just jealous."

"I don't think she is, Akefia..."

"And how would you know?"

"You learn quite a lot from training with someone for a few months, and of course, when you're their lover, they talk to you about what's on their minds..."

"Kyrah does, and it's not her fault. And bringing up the fact you trained Tamara? It doesn't do much to effect how she acts around another, Melvin. It's very naive of you to think such."

"I wasn't talking about you and Kyrah, Akefia." Melvin breathed, and Akefia stopped for a moment, a rush of jealousy running through him.

He had almost claimed Tamara for himself, but now he had Kyrah..

Did that mean he was over the spitfire red head?

Not entirely.

"What are you saying Melvin?" Akefia asked, a tone in his voice, and the one tone Melvin expected.

"I'm saying I am Tamara's lover...We're dating, Akefia." Melvin came out and said it clearly.

"How long?"

"A while."

"That's not an answer, Melvin." Akefia growled, anger rising in his voice.

"A few months. And I know from those few months, that Tamara isn't doing anything to provoke Kyrah."

"Then what are you saying?" Akefia asked, and Melvin knew that now, he was in the danger zone. The wrong move, and things would end badly.

"I'm saying it must be like she was with Bakura. They bump heads. It's just a simple clash of two people...It's probably going to simmer down soon." Melvin could only hope.

Akefia calmed down a bit, and nodded.

"Kyrah isn't doing anything wrong, but I'm sure Tamara's just getting in her way...Anyways, you've never been wrong, so we'll wait it out. You may leave, I have paper work to get back to...Oh, and while you're at it, would you go get the mail? There's supposed to be something coming in the mail for me...Package or something." Akefia brushed Melvin off.

Melvin exited the room, and let out a sigh of relief.

"That went well..." He breathed, and walked back to the living room, to find his coffee gone, and Bakura and Marik still sitting where they were before.

"Let me guess, Tamara?" Melvin pointed at the vacant coffee table, and Bakura and Marik nodded.

"Yup." They said in unison.

"Nice." He sighed and walked to the kitchen to get some more coffee.

"Hey." Tamara smiled up at him, a new cup of coffee in her hands.

"Thank you." Melvin smiled playfully and took the cup form her.

"Hey, that's mine!"

"Payback for the one you took that was mine." Melvin smiled, and she frowned.

"I was thirsty..." She mumbled and turned to make another one.

Melvin sat down at the table and drank his coffee.

"So, what's on your mind?" Melvin asked, and Tamara gave him a cautious look.

"That's a little blunt for you."

"Just curious." He shrugged, and took a sip of coffee.

"Nothing much, just wish you would have given me a heads up earlier." Tamara said annoyed.

"Sorry, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing.." He smiled, and reached for her hand as she sat down next to him and snuggled into his shoulder.

"Kind of?" She laughed, and Melvin rested his head on hers.

"Yeah, well...I couldn't help but act on impulse...The sight of you could make any man loose himself."

"Oh, please. That's hardly true. But just so suddenly...You're just tossing the secrets away?"

"Well, it's not healthy to hide things in your life...And honestly, I really kind of enjoy it so far. Getting to sit like this with you, is really, really nice. I'd never get to hold you if we were still sneaking around..."

"What about...Er...The '**Red Jacket**'...?" Tamara looked around anxiously.

"What...? Oh, yeah. He's okay with it. Just...Stay out of Kyrah's way..."

"Like I don't try to?" Tamara hissed, and Melvin looked at her.

"I mean if you see her, I want you to turn around, and go the other way. Things aren't looking too well in his eyes...So, be careful..."

Tamara went quiet for a long while, but then she nodded.

"I understand."

"Well, I'm just worried...That's all..."

"The sea's aren't safe?"* A voice called from the shadows, and Allen stepped forward.

Melvin nodded.

"I see you're public."

"Yup." Melvin said, and kissed the top of Tamara's head sweetly.

"Interesting. Sounds risky."  
>"Not as much as we thought..." Tamara smiled, and sipped her coffee, looking up to Allen and continuing, "So, why are you lurking in the shadows today?"<p>

"The usual. Listening. Waiting."

"Sounds fun." Tamara laughed, and Allen just looked on with a bored expression.

"How does Lady Fire Bird feel about the...Opening?"

"She hasn't said anything, so her vote doesn't tally in the end." Tamara smiled, and snuggled into Melvin's arms some more.

"And if she comes out?"

"We'll let the chips land in whatever way they happen to." Melvin jumped in, and Allen looked up to him.

"Then she'll know to blame the one's who cause the disturbance."

"She will." Melvin said a little dryly.

Akefia walked in with Kyrah, and Tamara's back arched, tingling with an emotion she didn't want to acknowledge.

Akefia's eyes swept the room nonchalantly, simply observing. Kyrah's grew evil, dark, hatred pulsing through, and Allen simply drew in shadow's as they fell upon him, making his presence only slightly detectable if someone knew he were there.

"Look at the happy fucking couple." Kyrah muttered under her breath, and snickered to Akefia who gave a light smile in return.

"I expect your share of chores to be done before there is any slacking." Akefia said, looking past the trio to the back door. "And I want every chore done before I return."

With that, the slut and the boss left.

Allen reappeared, the shadows falling away, and Tamara settled down only a little bit.

"We never had chores before." Tamara spat, and Melvin sighed.

"It's his way of 'punishing' us for going public, Mara. He has to be the voice of power, the one thing controlling us, for her to be satisfied." He said, taking the cup of coffee from Tamara's hand and taking a sip, handing it back afterward.

She glared in a playful way, and got up to start her newly acquired chores.

Melvin stretched on his bed, looking up to the dark ceiling as his arm fell around Tamara.

"You're still awake too?" Tamara said, molding into his side.

There was a warmth between the two, a deeper connection then their earlier moments in their relationship.

"Yeah." He said, turning on his side to face her, his long dark skinned fingers gently touching her soft skin. With his good eyesight, he could see her small smile at his touch.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Only you, my love. What do your thoughts dwindle on?"

"You." She smiled, and Melvin gently brought his lips to hers in a sweet way.

"I kind of like that." He laughed, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Hmm...Well, there's also a little part of me that thinks Allen's always watching us...I mean, shadows and all..."** She said, a light little laugh in her voice.

"Well, I really don't think he'd care at this moment, With him and Isis."

"Speaking of which, are you alright with that?"

"With what? Him and Isis?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah."

"Isis can take care of herself, and she wouldn't really care what I thought anyways." He shrugged, continuing, "I'm not the type to be an overprotective big brother. Sure, I'm protective, but not to the point where I step in and hold her hand every step of the way. She's probably smarter then me. Wiser. Although I am older..." He looked to the door for a moment, only to look back at Tamara lovingly.

"What?" She whispered, a smile on her face. "You sure protect me a hell whole of a lot."

"Yeah, well you get into dumb, stressful situations. I have to." He hugged her, and closed his eyes.

"Time to sleep?"

"Time to sleep..."

_**Authors Note:**_

_**I should clarify, The little stars in the sentences I've posted have a meaning.**_

_**For the first one (*): Allen means that things are rough, and not safe. Hence, him listening to their conversation before he entered the room.**_

_**For the second one (**) Allen can walk through any shadow, use the shadow portal, realm, listen through them, see them, but what I wanted to say here was that Allen's always watching XD, a little side joke for my own amusement...XD **_

_**It's been a long while, hasn't it? Sorry for the delay, I hope what I've written was worth while. I just took a break, a much needed one, and I'm still kind of in that break time. It's kind of like a vacation. **_

_**Tamara, Allen and this story, Mind Games world © me**_

_**Original Yu-Gi-Oh characters © their creators**_


End file.
